[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] "The web browser market tends to be reorganized every 10 years. Just as Microsoft's Internet Explorer held the top spot for a decade before yielding to Google Chrome, now Whale (the whale) is challenging Chrome's dominance."
Naver's web browser 'Whale' has begun its voyage toward the global market. Named Whale to signify navigating the internet like a whale roaming the oceans, the global version will be released this September. Whale is targeting Chrome. As the saying goes, "power does not last ten years," Internet Explorer, which held the top spot since the late 1990s, handed over the crown to Chrome, launched in 2008. Naver's Whale, introduced in 2017, harbors ambitions to gradually carve out a niche in Chrome's market.
◆ Eye-catching 'Screen Split' feature not found in Chrome = Kim Hyo, Naver Whale's lead manager, expressed confidence in an interview with Asia Economy on the 8th, saying, "We have high expectations for Whale's global version." The plan is to modify some services optimized for domestic users, such as replacing the existing login method via Naver ID with Google and Facebook logins, to widely promote Whale to global users.
Whale emphasizes user 'convenience' as its competitive edge. In particular, it plans to attract users with its screen split feature. Unlike Chrome, which requires users to switch between multiple tabs to perform various internet tasks, Whale allows multiple internet windows to be opened simultaneously on one screen through its 'screen split' function. Kim explained, "If Chrome was the era of multitasking, now users want omnitasking (performing various tasks simultaneously within one window)."
Kim expressed confidence that the number of Whale users worldwide will increase significantly once the globally compatible version is launched. According to market research firm StatCounter, Whale, which has been mainly serviced domestically, has yet to rank globally but is gradually showing results, surpassing Microsoft's Edge (2.77%), launched in 2015 to replace Internet Explorer, with a domestic browser market share of 6.4%. He said, "Browsers tend to see rapid user growth once they gain initial momentum, even if their initial market share is small," adding, "Our initial target is 5 million users."
◆ "We must prevent domestic web from becoming dependent on Google" = Naver is targeting the web browser market to prevent domestic services from becoming dependent on foreign web browsers. Kim explained the background, saying, "There is a sense of crisis about whether Naver can continue to perform well in a web browser environment dominated by global companies." Although Naver is the top portal domestically, having web browser technology is essential to provide better services.
For example, Chrome maintains personal accounts on any PC when logged in with a Google account, and Whale not only offers this feature but also implements mobile screens on PCs. This allows users to continue tasks started on mobile devices on their PCs. Whale's convenient services have been well received, with users increasing nearly fourfold compared to the previous year. Kim said, "In a market monopolized by Chrome, Naver's various services must be tailored to Chrome. But if Whale emerges as a competitor, the unilateral dependence on Chrome will disappear."
The growth potential of web browsers is also drawing attention to Whale's progress as IoT (Internet of Things) develops. According to the U.S. market research firm Valuates Reports, the web browser market size is expected to grow from $4.1 billion in 2018 to $5.8 billion in 2025. Kim said, "Browsers are needed wherever there is a display," adding, "Our goal is to have Whale installed on car screens and refrigerator screens as well."
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