The war over the dominance of the mobile internet browser market is escalating

Source: Internet
Author: User
Keywords Mobile
Tags android apple browser browser developer browsers control data facebook

Absrtact: A war is being escalated in a world dominated by mobile internet browsers, with Google (Weibo), Apple, Microsoft and Yahoo all involved in the war, foreign media said today. The article also pointed out that in order to control the market and started

A "war" around the dominance of the mobile internet browser market is escalating, with Google (Weibo), Apple, Microsoft and Yahoo all involved in the war, foreign media said today. The article also points out that the fight to control the market has also raised questions about Facebook, which is exploring a mobile strategy that could buy a Norwegian browser developer, opera Software.

The following is the full text of this article:

The browser "war" is heating up again, but this one battle revolves around the dominance of the mobile internet browser market.

Google, Apple, Microsoft and Yahoo are all involved in the "war", and the Norwegian-developed Opera browser and Mozilla's Open-source Firefox browser are also involved.

The motive behind this war is not just to qualify for boasting. Companies that control the mobile Internet will be able to redirect users to their sites, and it is important that companies with control can collect data for positioning ads.

"Browsers need to be on mobile devices to survive, and everyone is trying to manage their own strategy in this opus and multi-platform world," said Greg Sterling, a research analyst at Gregg String. ”

According to data released by StatCounter, another market research firm, the use of mobile devices (excluding tablets) has increased by one-and-8.5% percentage of global Internet use in January.

Google stepped up efforts in this area earlier this year, releasing a full version of its Chrome browser for mobile devices, which will replace unnamed mobile device browsers supported by Google's Android operating system over time. Mobile device browsers supported by Android have reached 21.5% per cent of the market in April this year, surpassing the early market leader, opera, which accounts for 21.3% per cent, according to StatCounter data.

"Because of Android, Chrome is obviously a ' newcomer ' on the rise and has a lot of momentum in the PC market," Sterling said. ”

In the third place is Apple's Sarari browser, the iphone's default browser, which accounts for 20% of its share. Nokia, BlackBerry and some other manufacturers ' browsers occupy a smaller share.

If the tablet is included, the NetMarketShare survey, published by the US Internet traffic monitoring agency NET applications, shows that Apple dominates the mobile internet browser market, with a share of 63%. But Android's share is growing, at close to 19% per cent.

Google's push for mobile browser growth is consistent with its strategy to gather information about users on various platforms. As a result, a user searching on a mobile device may see an interesting positioning ad on the PC, and vice versa.

Google has just completed a 12.5 billion dollar deal to acquire Motorola Mobility, which makes it capable of producing its own smartphone, and thus its own software. Al Hilwa, an analyst at IDC, a marketing research firm, said: "Everyone wants to get the first point of contact with the user, thereby controlling the user experience, capturing specific data, and directing it to use their services." Everything is about control and who can get further data. ”

At the same time, Microsoft is trying to gain a share in the mobile browser market, which is pushing its own Internet Explorer for mobile devices running Windows operating systems, but critics say the software giant is limiting compatibility.

In a blog post, Harvey Anderson, a general counsel for Mozilla Law, complains that Microsoft is limiting the "advanced" performance of external software, thereby effectively cutting off the rising path of browsers such as Firefox. In its latest Windows 8 device, he notes, Microsoft is bringing "an unwelcome trend back to the digital ' Dark Age," where users and developers have no choice in browsers.

Yahoo, which has become the latest in mobile browsers, has launched an axis browser designed for mobile devices. "It was designed to replace Safari," said Ethan Batraski, head of product management at Yahoo, who Issan Batraski the browser. You will never have to be forced to use safari again. ”

Ben Schachter, a Macquarie capital analyst who tracks Google, said the internet search giant would also launch a version of the Chrome browser for Apple's iOS operating system. In a client report, he noted that Google benefited from Chrome because it reduced the cost of "flow-capture". He further pointed out that the iOS version of the Chrome browser will be able to "significantly" depress the cost of Google to Apple.

But Sterling pointed out that Apple could distort its strategy and not compete head-on with Google. He points out that Apple's personal voice assistant services Siri and its latest mapping software provide a type of search. With the escalating tensions between Apple and Google, Apple may have turned Safari's search engine into Microsoft Bing, or switched to other search engines.

Analysts say it is unclear to what extent mobile device manufacturers will try to block browsers as rivals, and how far such actions will trigger a government response. In the 1990s, Microsoft tried to thwart rival browsers, prompting a government response on both sides of the Atlantic.

The battle to control the mobile internet browser market has also raised questions about Facebook, where the company's massive IPO (IPO) deal has suffered a bad response and is now exploring a mobile strategy. It has been reported that Facebook is likely to buy a Norwegian browser developer, opera Software, which addresses some of the problems perceived by the social networking giant, because the acquisition of opera will provide a platform for Facebook, Enable it to get better data on mobile internet usage for location-based ads.

Silva said he would "not be surprised" if Facebook decided to buy opera or work with opera or develop its own browser.

Silva also said another market participant in the mobile Internet browser that needed attention was Amazon, which had developed its own browser for its Kindle Internet device – a move that would also lead users to use a variety of services to earn more profits. Like other companies, he notes, Amazon is pursuing a strategy that not only covers hardware and software, but also sells products and services.

"Amazon has content, sells products, and has internet services," Silva said. Amazon has a lot of assets and has been successful. I will focus on this company. ”

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