Yahoo, Once Google’s Biggest Rival, Says It Wants to Buy Chrome

Yahoo appears to be interested in taking the Chrome browser off Google’s hands should it plan to sell it off. During the trial of the US Department of Justice against Google’s alleged monopoly in the search market, Yahoo Search General Manager Brian Provost testified that the company would buy Chrome from Google if a decision forcing a divestment of the latter’s business comes into effect.

Provost’s statement during the trial hints that Yahoo’s long-standing rivalry with Google could take a surprise turn. However, that relies entirely on the trial’s outcome. Google is facing the trial initiated by the DoJ after it was accused of monopolising the search market, with Justice Amit Mehta suggesting breaking up the company as a remedy. That would require Google to sell off Chrome — the world’s most popular internet browser, because of which Google Search saw a high adoption rate compared to rivals.

Yahoo once engaged in a cutthroat competition with Google in the search engine market before it finally conceded and pivoted to other business lines. However, the company has been working on building its browser.

Provost testified that a web browser is crucial for a search engine’s growth, referring to the Chrome browser that allows users to look up anything on Google Search through the address bar. He said 60 per cent of search queries are made through the address bar, so a browser that prioritises Yahoo Search would make sense for the company to bounce back into the market. He also revealed that Yahoo has been “actively internally developing a prototype of a browser,” while discussing opportunities for a browser with other companies.

Yahoo's interest in buying Chrome stems from the fact that building a browser would take at least six months. Acquiring Chrome would be a lot easier.

If it ever happens, buying Chrome would likely push Yahoo Search’s adoption hugely, much like Google Search. According to Provost, Yahoo's market share could see a dramatic jump from 3 per cent currently to double digits if the company acquires Chrome. But Yahoo is not the only suitor. OpenAI and Perplexity have both expressed interest in buying Chrome. DuckDuckGo, which offers a privacy-focused browser with its search engine, also hinted at potential interest but confirmed it does not have the money to buy Chrome.

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