Yahoo Eyes Chrome Bid for Web Dominance
With Yahoo and other companies lining up to bid for Chrome, the browser's future is uncertain. The outcome of the US court case will determine whether Google's dominance in the digital advertising and search ecosystem will be challenged, and what role Chrome will play in shaping the web's future.
Yahoo plans to bid for Google Chrome if a US court orders its sale, considering it a key asset to achieve web dominance and restore competitive balance in the digital advertising and search ecosystem.
The US Department of Justice and a coalition of states argue that Google's monopoly in internet search should be broken up, and divesting Chrome could be a step towards achieving this goal. Yahoo, backed by private equity firm Apollo Global Management, believes Chrome is a strategic player on the web and would be a valuable asset to acquire. Other companies, including OpenAI's ChatGPT, have also expressed interest in bidding for Chrome.
Perplexity, an AI company, has expressed interest in buying Chrome from Google if the tech giant is forced to sell it as a result of an antitrust lawsuit. However, Perplexity's Chief Business Officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, testified in court that he would rather see Google keep Chrome than sell it to OpenAI, citing concerns that a sale to OpenAI could lead to the discontinuation of Chrome's open-source model or inadequate support for the product.
The US court's decision could set a major precedent for antitrust enforcement in the digital age. Shevelenko's company is a potential competitor to Google's search and AI services, and has itself faced challenges in getting its products preloaded on devices due to Google's restrictive agreements with phone and browser companies. The judge in the case has already found that Google used exclusionary agreements to lock up distribution channels.
As the case unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Google will be forced to sell Chrome and what the implications will be for the digital landscape. One thing is certain, however: the fate of Chrome will have significant consequences for the future of web browsing and online search.