4 ms·
Looking at Firefox' dwindling market share and Chrome's spectacular success, Google is probably thinking: "We don't need Mozilla's browser any more."
by tmalsburg2 11y ago
Looking at Firefox' dwindling market share and Chrome's spectacular success, Google is probably thinking: "We don't need Mozilla's browser any more."
- fpgeek 11y agoThat would be foolish. Firefox is the only major browser not controlled by one of Google's major competitors. Even without a deal for the search engine default, there are all sorts of reasons that is valuable to Google (collaboration on web standards, an insurance policy for browser design mistakes, not all Firefox users would switch to Chrome and so on).
- PeCaN 11y agoAlso keeping Firefox around is basically insurance against (some) antitrust lawsuits (not just for Google, for whatever browser maker sponsors them).
- jinst8gmi 11y agoThere's more likely thinking: "why sponsor a competing browser when we have Chrome nagging everyone to sign into Google"
- kibwen 11y agoLast I checked (which was years ago, mind), Mozilla's search partnership with Google was bringing in $4 billion in annual revenue for Google, with $300 million of that being kicked back to Mozilla. Google wasn't sponsoring Firefox for kicks, there was a definite financial incentive.