Competitors claim that Google Chrome's value may exceed $50 billion, and if split up, it may be hard to find anyone to "take it on."
In the antitrust trial against Google by the U.S. Department of Justice, the CEO of DuckDuckGo stated that the valuation of the Google Chrome browser could exceed $50 billion, significantly higher than the previous estimate of $20 billion. He pointed out that this valuation is based on a rough estimate of Chrome's user base. If the court requires Google to divest Chrome, this high price may deter potential buyers. The trial aims to address Google's monopoly in the internet search field
According to the Zhitong Finance APP, during the antitrust trial against internet giant Google (GOOGL.US) on Wednesday, the CEO of DuckDuckGo, a competitor to Google Chrome, stated that the value of the Google Chrome browser could be as high as $50 billion.
DuckDuckGo operates a privacy-focused search engine and browser. The company's CEO, Gabriel Weinberg, said, "I believe that if Chrome were to be brought to market, its value would exceed $50 billion, which is far beyond what DuckDuckGo can afford." Weinberg also mentioned that this valuation is a "rough estimate" based on Chrome's user base.
The trial lasts for three weeks and aims to determine how to address Google's monopoly in the internet search space, with Weinberg testifying as a witness. Last year, Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google illegally monopolized the market and is currently considering a series of remedial proposals put forth by antitrust enforcement agencies. The U.S. Department of Justice and several states argue that Google should be forced to sell its popular Chrome browser.
Weinberg's $50 billion valuation is significantly higher than the approximately $20 billion estimated by Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Mandip Singh last November. If the court orders Google to divest Chrome, such a high price may deter potential buyers.
Earlier in the trial, executives from AI companies OpenAI and Perplexity testified that if the court were to mandate Google to divest Chrome, their companies would be interested in acquiring the browser
