Google is facing increasing pressure from US regulators to sell its Chrome web browser. This initiative is part of the Justice Department’s broader plan to curb Google’s dominance in online advertising.
The Issue: Google’s Dominance
For years, Google has been under scrutiny for its role in the online advertising space. Chrome, the most widely used web browser, uses Google as its default search engine. This setup gives Google’s ads on the search platform a significant competitive edge. Moreover, with Google as the default search engine on iPhones, regulators argue that the company holds a monopoly in this domain.
On both mobile and desktop platforms, Chrome commands the largest market share. Appfigures estimates that Chrome will reach 80 million downloads by the end of 2024, more than doubling second-place Microsoft Edge’s numbers.
Browser Competition: A Closer Look
Among the top five browsers — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Brave — Chrome dominates with 35% of total downloads in 2024. Interestingly, Chrome’s largest market is iPhones, while other browsers see their primary growth on Android devices. This is largely because Chrome is pre-installed on Android but must be downloaded on iOS.
Meanwhile, Edge and Opera each have just under 40 million downloads this year and are likely to surpass their 2023 numbers. These two browsers stand to gain the most if Chrome’s future takes a turn.
Challenges and Opportunities
Chrome’s downloads have started to decline in 2024, with figures down 14% year-over-year as of October, reminds NIX Solutions. November’s data shows an even sharper drop. This trend coincides with the increased government pressure, suggesting that Google may be scaling back its user acquisition efforts.
This situation presents a unique opportunity for competitors to capture more market share. As the browser race evolves, we’ll keep you updated on the latest developments.
Who do you think will come out on top in this shifting landscape?