Yahoo has expressed interest in purchasing Chrome, discussing a possible bid on Thursday (24), during the fourth day of Google’s antitrust trial. Alongside this, the company is considering developing its own web browser.
Once known for platforms like Tumblr, Flickr, and the once-popular Yahoo Messenger, Yahoo has remained a player in the search market and aims to reestablish its presence by refreshing its products and services.
During the proceedings, Brian Provost, General Manager of Yahoo Search, confirmed the company’s interest in acquiring Chrome and launching a new browser, according to reporting by The Verge.
Provost also noted that the estimated value of Google’s search engine could run into the tens of billions of dollars, as reported by Bloomberg.
Yahoo’s announcement follows similar signals from OpenAI and Perplexity, which have shown they would be interested if Chrome were ever put up for sale.
However, Perplexity’s Business Director testified on Thursday (23) that it might be better for Google to retain ownership of Chrome. He expressed concerns that selling it to OpenAI—the company behind ChatGPT—could reduce the browser’s quality and potentially lead to fees for search services.
At this stage, Chrome would only be sold if Judge Amit Mehta rules to break up Google’s business as part of the final penalty in the ongoing case.
Why is Google being sued?
Google has been accused of monopolistic practices in the online search market by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In 2024, the tech giant was found guilty of securing deals to make its browser the default on mobile devices from various companies, including Samsung.
The case is now focused on determining the penalties for Google. The DOJ is pushing for severe actions, including forcing the company to sell its browser and end all exclusive agreements with phone manufacturers.
In contrast, Google advocates for milder measures, such as reducing the scope of these agreements rather than eliminating them.
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