We’ve talked a lot about the big three internet browsers on our Fix My PC Free blog. As you probably know, the ‘big three’ includes Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Lagging in a distant fourth are alternative browsers like Safari and Opera.
However, a new challenger has entered the ring. And it comes from an unlikely competitor. That’s right: Yahoo has decided to launch their own internet browser. Called Axis, Yahoo wants to use their new browser to push forward their long-ignored search engine.
And here’s the real surprise: it’s actually a pretty good browser.
Currently, Axis is available for iPad and iPhone, and is available on desktops through Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari plug-ins. The goal of the browser is to eliminate the middle step from the search engine browsing process. In other words, Yahoo wants users to go directly from a search engine query to a page, which means that you avoid having to scan through a bunch of links to get the results you wanted.
How does Axis do that? Well, instead of displaying a bunch of links, Axis shows you a horizontal display of web page thumbnails (although sometimes, you will see search engine results with text boxes on the page). If the thumbnail shows a picture of the page you’re looking for, you can instantly click on it. Navigating back to previous results and searching for new queries is an absolute breeze.
Yes, Yahoo’s Axis is free, but that doesn’t mean it’s a non-profit program. In fact, Yahoo still generates over a billion dollars of revenue per year from their search engine advertising division, which displays ads on search engine results pages in exchange for anything from a few pennies to a few dollars. If more users decide to start using Axis, then Yahoo’s search engine revenue will undoubtedly increase.
Axis’s Android version is set to be released soon. While Axis may not be a revolutionary new approach to web browsing, it has enough unique changes to attract a solid userbase. How it builds off this userbase remains to be seen.
To download Axis for your PC, click here.