Update to yesterday’s post and also an earlier one about Apple’s new version of Safari for Windows.
Why would Apple develop a product for Windows? Aren’t they arch rivals and bitter enemies? Gossip is flying that Apply did it just for the (gasp!) money. Can it be true? What would the shareholders say? 😉
Apple isn’t talking, but others are. Get the dish here.
From a marketing standpoint, the interesting question is: How can something that’s free (Web browsers) make money for the people who created them and give them away?
Answer: When Firefox users use the Google search field in the Firefox toolbar (instead of going to Google’s home page), Google shares a piece of the financial action. It’s a tiny share (if I know Google) but Mozilla’s CEO admits it adds up to “tens of millions of dollars” a year for the open source developers.
Gee, why would Apple wants a piece of that? Only Steve Jobs knows for sure — but maybe the Fake Steve Jobs will spill the beans.
FWIW, Safari currently has around 5 percent of the browser market share, compared to Internet Explorer’s 78 percent and 15 percent for Firefox.