Amazon might be making a browser to compete with Chrome
Amazon may be looking to launch a competitor to Google’s Chrome in the form of its own browser. And no, we don’t mean that Silk is being brought back from the dead, as this is related to a recent survey that the company has been sending out in the past couple of days.
The questionnaire aims to help Amazon better understand what would convince someone to download and try out a new browser. While this certainly does not indicate that a product launch is imminent, it pretty much confirms that such a move is being considered.
In the survey, Amazon clearly states that by completing the survey, users would be contributing to innovations that have the potential to improve the browsing experience for millions. Now that is a tall order!
But wait, what would Amazon’s game plan be here, exactly? It is already the biggest online retailer in the US, it has a successful production company and its own streaming service. Well, you see, even if it isn’t famous for it, Amazon is also a player in the ads business, which is currently more profitable for the company than Prime.
This can be inferred through the survey itself, which touches on points such as:
For the most part, the list pretty much consists of the bare minimum that a modern user could expect out of a browser. But then, we’ve got that last point, which is rather unique. Typically, browsers don’t offer such built-in options, so this could potentially be a strong selling point for a new browser.
The survey describes this theoretical piece of software as a desktop/laptop experience, but mobile integration is mentioned too. Plus, we all know that browsers on phones are much more impactful nowadays, not only due to ease of use, but also from a profitability standpoint.
So in short: if Amazon is making a browser, we’re likely to see an app to go with it too.
All in all, none of this should be taken as concrete confirmation that Amazon is preparing to create and launch a browser. It does, however, mean that the company may be looking to stir up the pot, and if it does, it's going to go head to head against Big Tech.
The questionnaire aims to help Amazon better understand what would convince someone to download and try out a new browser. While this certainly does not indicate that a product launch is imminent, it pretty much confirms that such a move is being considered.
Hmm, is Amazon thinking about making a web browser? I'm not sure how else this could be interpreted. @DanaMattiolipic.twitter.com/TNwgIa37qT
— Nicholas De Leon (@nicholasadeleon) March 13, 2023
But wait, what would Amazon’s game plan be here, exactly? It is already the biggest online retailer in the US, it has a successful production company and its own streaming service. Well, you see, even if it isn’t famous for it, Amazon is also a player in the ads business, which is currently more profitable for the company than Prime.
Amazon last attempted to create a web browser in 2011 with Silk. While technically, it was a browser indeed, it was very limited and more so meant to compliment other company products. This time though, the topic at hand seems to be related to an all-around proper browser.
This can be inferred through the survey itself, which touches on points such as:
- Syncing
- Privacy
- Shopping options
- Text to speech
- Extensions
- Blocking third-party trackers
For the most part, the list pretty much consists of the bare minimum that a modern user could expect out of a browser. But then, we’ve got that last point, which is rather unique. Typically, browsers don’t offer such built-in options, so this could potentially be a strong selling point for a new browser.
All in all, none of this should be taken as concrete confirmation that Amazon is preparing to create and launch a browser. It does, however, mean that the company may be looking to stir up the pot, and if it does, it's going to go head to head against Big Tech.
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