The new numbers highlight just how difficult it is for youngsters Browser Sellers trying to compete with the likes Google ChromeAnd the Safari And the Microsoft Edge.
The data is provided exclusively for Tikradar Pro With the digital intelligence platform LikeWeb shows that the number of downloads from operaone of these challenging browsers, is comparable to the number achieved by Microsoft Edge.
Between January and May 2022, the Opera download confirmation page was visited 12.03 million times on desktop, while the total number of visits to the Edge download page was 12.40 million. Unlike Opera data, Edge numbers do not indicate completed downloads, which means that a smaller browser may actually have attracted more Downloads from its larger counterpart for the period.
However, despite what these statistics about the popularity of each service might suggest, market share Data from Statcounter (Opens in a new tab) It shows that Microsoft Edge (10.12%) has nearly four times the number of desktop users than Opera (2.8%). So what explains this contradiction?
default force
One interpretation of the data is that although browsers like Opera may attract a similar amount of interest to those published by Big Tech operators (and may be of similar objective quality), their ability to compete at the level of connectivity is hampered by external forces in the specific market.
Most importantly, Microsoft Edge comes preinstalled with all Windows 10 and 11 devices, which number in the billions. In the meantime, the Opera browser comes pre-installed on almost any devices, so the company must rely exclusively on software innovation to attract users.
Until steps are taken to prevent Apple, Google, and Microsoft from taking advantage of their control of major operating systems to promote their own software, an effective challenge will remain virtually impossible for companies like Opera.
This was much confirmed recently by the CEOs of DuckDuckGo and Proton, in conversation with Tikradar Pro. While neither company often competes in the browser space, they face identical headwinds in their core markets: Search And the E-mailStraight.
“If antitrust laws don’t address the assumptions, they only address 5% of the problem. Andy Yen, CEO of Proton, explained.
Gabriel Weinberg, CEO of DuckDuckGo, made a similar complaint regarding the way Google handles virtual services on its Android platform.
“On Android right now it takes more than fifteen clicks to change the default search engine, but we really think it should be one click. If that kind of system was in place, we could be five or ten times bigger today, “He told us.
“It is very important to open up these types of industries. The answer to this problem is regulatory, so we are working with bodies around the world to make that happen.”
Is all hope lost?
Although the odds are stacked in favor of Microsoft, there are some indications that the company may have crossed the mark in its efforts to steer people toward Edge.
For example, the company recently Forced to retreat from politics This added an unreasonable amount of friction to the process of changing the default browser after users indicated their dissatisfaction.
Microsoft too I got shot For efforts to prevent links opened via its own services (like Windows 11 gadgets, Start menu, etc.) from running in any browser other than Edge, another cryptic tactic that has drawn criticism from the community.
Although the force of default is strong, the consumer sentiment is also the same, so it is possible that these slips can pour into the hands of smaller competitors.
Separately, there are indications that the regulators have dealt with the seriousness and urgency of the situation. Take the recent measures announced by the European Union (EU) under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), for example.
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) seeks to reduce the power of so-called “technology gatekeepers”, whose dominant market position and wealth of resources are said to limit the opportunity for small competitors to gain market share. It includes measures to prevent gatekeepers from ranking their products higher in search results and to prevent users from uninstalling pre-loaded applications.
The United States has been slower to act than the European Union, in part due to national pride in its iconic tech brands. However, the wheels are now beginning to spin and the historic antitrust legislation is expected to come into force in the coming years, opening the door to opera and its genre.
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