Yahoo has confirmed its interest in acquiring Google’s Chrome browser, should a U.S. court order its divestment as part of ongoing antitrust proceedings. During an antitrust hearing in Washington on Thursday, Yahoo’s Brian Provost testified that the company, supported by private equity firm Apollo Global Management, would consider purchasing Chrome, potentially valuing it in the “tens of billions of dollars.”
Provost referred to Chrome as “the most important strategic player on the web,” highlighting its significance in the digital ecosystem. His remarks came amidst a U.S. Department of Justice antitrust case against Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., which accuses the company of maintaining an illegal monopoly in internet search. The court proceedings are now focused on potential remedies, including the possibility of Google selling Chrome.
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Yahoo, which was once the leader in online search before being acquired by Apollo in 2021, has been working to revitalize its tech assets. Provost mentioned that while Yahoo is developing its own browser, the company remains open to acquiring an already established product like Chrome. Yahoo is not the only company interested in the potential divestment. Nick Turley, the head of ChatGPT at OpenAI, also expressed interest in bidding for Chrome.
The ongoing trial could set an important precedent for future antitrust cases in the tech industry, with a ruling expected later this year.
