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DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

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Re: DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

#711

Post by nl »

0xmarcin wrote: post #675
curiouscat321 wrote: post #5

Who would possibly buy Chrome? Letting any of the large tech companies purchase it (the only possible buyers) would just give someone else monopolistic power. Chrome can’t exist as a standalone business without being even more consumer hostile.

Let's hope it won't be Oracle. ehm... jokes aside. I think a more reasonable way is to setup a foundation, composed of biggest players in tech, also companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, Mozilla Foundation, Linux Foundation, Apple and EFF. The foundation should steer the further development of Chrome. In that way Chrome will be owned by community just like e.g. Linux Kernel or standards like C++ lang spec. If Chrom…

Oracle was the front-runner for buying TikTok last time they were under pressure to sell: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54148474

They were the first company I thought of.

Re: DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

#712

Post by throwaway2037 »

Thorrez wrote: post #657
whiplash451 wrote: post #636

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about this: sell the browser to the entreprise [1] and use the profit to offer the browser to the public for free, which in turns helps you secure a user base. [1] https://www.island.io/

Google already does sell Chrome to the enterprise at $6/user/month[1]. Disclosure: I work at Google. [1] https://chromeenterprise.google/products/chrome-enterprise-p...

You raise an interesting point. Every job that I worked in the last 10 years offers "real" Google Chrome on a Windows PC. I never considered that they would pay Google for it, but I guess Google could add a bunch of nice admin and security features that would be useful to mega-corps but retail normies don't care about. That is probably well-worth the 6 USD per month per user. In a modern corporate workplace, a huge amount of your day is spent using web apps... running in Google Chrome (or Electron!). It like a WebVM that runs inside of Microsoft Windows (from the perspective of corporate IT folks).

Re: DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

#713

Post by criddell »

throwaway2037 wrote: post #706
pjc50 wrote: post #548

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is this: - the browser is undeniably critical as everyone's window through which they view the online world; - the user gains a huge amount of value by a browser being integrated into the OS, webviews in other applications, etc - browsers aren't really a self funding product - having a single for-profit US advertising company control everyone's view of the online world, however slightly (e.g. by obstructi…

You raise some very important points. Specifically, this one: > browsers aren't really a self funding product I feel the same. I also feel the same about a modern C library and C compiler (and C++, if you like). They are essential to build any modern system and applications. Yet, those are also (mostly) no longer self-funding products. What do you think will happen if Google is forced to divest Chrome?

> What do you think will happen if Google is forced to divest Chrome?

The new Chrome company will struggle for a year or two then Apple will try to buy it but lose out after Oracle submits a higher bid.

Re: DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

#715

Post by tootie »

tbrownaw wrote: post #653
addicted wrote: post #446

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google isn’t “getting targeted”. But to answer your question. 1. Microsoft gets left alone - Really? You may want to ask the closest adult near you about this. 2. Amazon - The government has looked into Amazon multiple times. It’s hard to see where Amazon does anything to illegally use its monopoly (they don’t use their shopping advantage to cross sell AWS in any way, or Vice versa). Amazon is genuinely not a bad mon…

> Microsoft gets left alone - Really? You may want to ask the closest adult near you about this. I've got some bad news for you: 2001 was 23 years ago. It's possible to not just be a legal adult (18) but also old enough to drink (21) and still not have been born yet when that was going down.

I look back and I honestly wonder if that lawsuit actually had the effect they intended.

Re: DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

#716

Post by kube-system »

madeofpalk wrote: post #667
ThePhysicist wrote: post #481

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple doesn't have a similar position in any space though, or do they? In terms of market share they're not even the biggest player in the smartphone market, they sit below 20 % (the most profitable 20 % though). Google, in comparison, absolutely dominates the search and ad markets and sucks all oxygen out of them to keep any competition from springing up by controlling distribution and limiting choice. They e.g. pai…

This is why regulators prefer talking about dominant position rather than just market share.

I think a lot of people aren't aware that monopolies are not illegal in the US. It is completely legal to run a business that is a monopoly.

What is illegal are anti-competitive practices that a business might employ in an attempt to create or maintain a monopoly. A business that violates these laws might already be a monopoly, or it might not be one.

Re: DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

#717

Post by Saline9515 »

PapaPalpatine wrote: post #695
fransje26 wrote: post #683

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One could ask, "How is Apple a Monopoly, and do they abuse that position?" I opened my local configurator to buy a 13" M3 MacBook Air. Memory, update from 16GB to 24GB -> +230€ SSD, update from 256GB to 2TB -> +920€ Textbook monopolistic price gouging.

> Textbook monopolistic price gouging So they’re a monopoly because you can only buy Apple laptops from them?

Yes they are a monopoly on the MacOS hardware market, which explains this kind of extractive behavior.

Re: DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

#718

Post by rawgabbit »

pjc50 wrote: post #548
rkharsan64 wrote: post #510

People here seem to be underestimating the advantages that Google gets just because of Chrome: - When you sign in to Google, you sign in browser-wide. Google now gets all of your browsing data, perfect for advertising. (If you ever doubt it, go check out Google Takeout. You'll be shocked at the amount of data you see there.) - They have special APIs and features that they get to use, and nobody else. Only because the…

The problem is this: - the browser is undeniably critical as everyone's window through which they view the online world; - the user gains a huge amount of value by a browser being integrated into the OS, webviews in other applications, etc - browsers aren't really a self funding product - having a single for-profit US advertising company control everyone's view of the online world, however slightly (e.g. by obstructi…

The issue is who controls Chromium. I would create a non profit and staff it with a handful of maintainers. Their primary job would be to ensure safety and squash exploits. Their other job is to curate and approve pull requests from volunteers for enhancements. They should make it open source with the caveat if it is used for commercial purposes, there will be a licensing fee to pay for security enhancements, bug bounties, and the like.

Re: DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome

#720

Post by devsda »

madeofpalk wrote: post #693
hodder wrote: post #688

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There doesn't have to be a buyer. They can spin it off as an independent company. Surely it can be a profitable enterprise on its own.

Surely ? I can't imagine Chrome by itself is a very profitable company. Who knows.

An independent Chrome company will start with an established & proven product, huge userbase and a marketplace for extensions. That's a huge advantage (and liability too).

If FF can get millions for its default search option, Chrome can easily command more and if Mozilla can afford to venture into other product areas with their budget, it doesn't sound impossible to have a self-sustained chrome development once you eliminate all the non-essential feature work that helps only Google.

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