I think it's being understated what is actually happening here. The DOJ is forcing a partial collapse and consolidation of the Internet with this move.
For example, Mozilla/Firefox is gone in a year if Google is no longer allowed to pay them for search engine priority. Apple loses around 15% of their profitability for the same reason (around $20B/year). Many other companies depend heavily or entirely on Google paying for priority.
This will have a domino effect that, as I see it, largely benefits Microsoft as they also stop support for Win10 next year. (Note that the decision on Google and how it will be broken up comes down summer of next year.) The timing, I think, is not a coincidence.
80%+ of Mozilla's revenue comes from Google's payments for search engine priority. The rest of their revenue comes from Mozilla VPN/Relay and a bit from other advertisers. They'll be dead in no time if the government's request for Google to stop these payments is granted.
Their major expense is software development and of course employees who further service it (tech support, etc.). In 2022, they had $220 million in software development expenses, out of $425 million total expenses. Google paid them $480 million that same year.
They could cut back, but it would irreparably damage their ability to compete and function as they are now. They would become a shadow of their current existence, if they survived that transformation. Mozilla might survive in some capacity, but Firefox likely would not.
I do believe that's part of the point. I think the powers that be (IC) want to transform and corral Internet users, and carving up Google lets them accomplish that, including an detonation of both Chrome and Firefox browsers as we know them.
I think it's being understated what is actually happening here. The DOJ is forcing a partial collapse and consolidation of the Internet with this move.
For example, Mozilla/Firefox is gone in a year if Google is no longer allowed to pay them for search engine priority. Apple loses around 15% of their profitability for the same reason (around $20B/year). Many other companies depend heavily or entirely on Google paying for priority.
This will have a domino effect that, as I see it, largely benefits Microsoft as they also stop support for Win10 next year. (Note that the decision on Google and how it will be broken up comes down summer of next year.) The timing, I think, is not a coincidence.
What costs Mozilla so much to maintain a browser product? Clearly I have no idea how this works
80%+ of Mozilla's revenue comes from Google's payments for search engine priority. The rest of their revenue comes from Mozilla VPN/Relay and a bit from other advertisers. They'll be dead in no time if the government's request for Google to stop these payments is granted.
What business expenses do they even have though? Can't they just... lay off until they're profitable?
Their major expense is software development and of course employees who further service it (tech support, etc.). In 2022, they had $220 million in software development expenses, out of $425 million total expenses. Google paid them $480 million that same year.
They could cut back, but it would irreparably damage their ability to compete and function as they are now. They would become a shadow of their current existence, if they survived that transformation. Mozilla might survive in some capacity, but Firefox likely would not.
I do believe that's part of the point. I think the powers that be (IC) want to transform and corral Internet users, and carving up Google lets them accomplish that, including an detonation of both Chrome and Firefox browsers as we know them.