Dolphin, a third-party mobile browser that runs on Android and iOS, is apparently tired of seeing Google reign as the de-facto king of the Internet. Because of this, it’s formed what it calls an “anti-Google alliance” with international search engines to add some more diversity to the global mobile search realm. The alliance includes Russian search engine Yandex, Chinese engine Baidu, Yahoo Japan and DuckDuckGo, the privacy-friendly American search engine that has become a favorite for anti-NSA activists.
Dolphin says that it’s partnering with these companies because its mobile browser is “designed to better serve users in ‘mobile-first’ countries, who do all of their browsing from a mobile phone, by bringing content directly to users, acting as an entertainment hub and portal for news, music and games.” The company says that although Apple and Google dominate the browsing markets in the United States, they’re aren’t meeting the needs of users in other countries who want a more localized experience.
Dolphin’s full press release follows below.
Sequoia-Backed Dolphin Announces Global Partnerships with Baidu, Yandex, Yahoo! Japan and DuckDuckGo
Dolphin joins forces with leading search engines in international markets to take its mobile browser global, letting users choose any search engine they want
San Francisco, September 26, 2013 — Today, Dolphin Browser is announcing numerous strategic partnerships with popular search engines in international markets in order to continue its swift global expansion. The company’s announcement comes in tandem with a newly updated browser for Android that has fresh content discovery and customization features that are adapted and localized to each country. Dolphin’s flexible browser is making strong headway in global markets, as consumers seek online experiences that are culturally appropriate and personalized to their tastes.
Dolphin is formally announcing partnerships with DuckDuckGo in the United States, Yandex in Russia, Baidu in China, and Yahoo! Japan, with plans for further international expansion in the coming months. Dolphin has partnered with each of these leading search engines to bring innovation and a more cohesive experience to mobile browsing. Most importantly, Dolphin is bringing culturalization in markets around the world by tailoring the offered Dolphin Browser to the needs of each specific country. Dolphin’s international versions are designed to better serve users in “mobile-first” countries, who do all of their browsing from a mobile phone, by bringing content directly to users, acting as an entertainment hub and portal for news, music and games.
“The U.S. browser market is dominated by Google and Apple. However, the international market for mobile browsing has been left wide open,” said Yongzhi Yang, CEO of Dolphin. “Dolphin is leading the charge in emerging markets where hundreds of millions of users are discovering content via mobile web for the very first time. These are truly ‘mobile-first and only’ users that have no context of a desktop experience, which is more prevalent in the U.S.”
In addition to these partnerships, Dolphin is also announcing an update to their Android browser, which includes the ability to choose from a variety of themes and colors for the browser, along with set any existing picture the user has as a background. The update also includes support for 21 unique languages to better serve the browser’s ever-growing international community.
“We’re proud to have created these critical partnerships with top search engines in international markets,” said Dolphin’s VP of Business Development, Edith Yeung. “By leveraging our insight and knowledge about these mobile-first markets, and truly listening to our customers, we’ve created something that is not only customizable to the individual, but is customized for entire cultures. We’re excited for the future of these international markets, and have some big plans ahead at home in the U.S. as well.”
