Yahoo search share edges up following Firefox deal, but Google still way ahead

By Trevor Mogg Published January 8, 2015

Yahoo has achieved its highest search share in the U.S. since 2009, according to the latest data from web analytics firm StatCounter.

The improvement comes soon after Mozilla’s Firefox web browser started offering Yahoo as its default search engine, ending a 10-year partnership with Google.

Recommended Videos

However, Yahoo still has a massive amount of ground to cover if it’s to catch Google – the Mountain View company still enjoyed 75.2 percent of U.S. search share in December, down from 77.3 percent a month earlier, while Yahoo climbed to 10.4 percent from 8.6 percent. But it could soon overtake Bing, which also grew its share, but at a slower rate, from 12.1 percent in November to 12.5 percent last month.

Definite impact

StatCounter CEO Aodhan Cullen said Mozilla’s decision to switch to Yahoo had had a “definite impact” on U.S. Internet usage, adding, “The question now is whether Firefox users switch back to Google.”

If users choose to go with Yahoo, then the upward trajectory looks set to continue for the company for some time to come, a situation that should help it to grow its ad revenue as it fights to compete with search giant Google.

However, the fact that Firefox users currently only represent just over 12 percent of Internet usage in the U.S. means Yahoo’s potential growth via Mozilla’s browser is somewhat limited.

Existing users of Firefox who haven’t at some point jumped into Preferences to switch from Google to another search provider will be asked if they want to start using Yahoo as their provider when they upgrade to version 34 (or above) of Firefox. For those downloading the browser for the very first time, Yahoo will appear as the default search provider.

Keen to get as many web surfers using its search tool as soon as possible, Yahoo has been prompting people to upgrade to the latest version of Firefox at the earliest opportunity.

The precise terms of Yahoo’s deal with Mozilla have never been revealed, though the fact that Google had apparently been paying Mozilla around $300 million a year to be the browser’s default search provider indicates Yahoo is forking out a hefty sum to put its search product front and center.

[Source: StatCounter]

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Topics

Web
Google

Computing

Lenovo’s Googlebook lineup could include two laptops, a 2-in-1 tablet, and an AI mouse

Images have emerged online giving us our first look at Lenovo’s upcoming Googlebooks

Googlebook

Google announced Googlebook at I/O in May, but we are still waiting to see what the finished hardware will actually look like. The first devices are expected this fall, and new images published by Android Headlines may have given us an early look at what Lenovo has planned.

Lenovo appears to be preparing at least three Googlebooks, including two traditional laptops and a detachable 2-in-1 tablet. There is also a new wireless AI mouse that seems to have been designed specifically for the platform.

Computing

Shopping for back-to-school? I’d recommend these GaN chargers for saving space and packing more power

From a $9 spare to a $56 desk hub, these chargers cut down on cable clutter so that you can focus on your studies, not how cluttered your desk looks.

Best GaN chargers in 2026 for back to school shopping.

Between a phone, a laptop, a tablet, and perhaps a pair of wireless earbuds that require charging every day or every few days, most students are packing multiple chargers for move-in day. Those big, heavy bricks take up valuable backpack space that could otherwise be free for carrying more items.

However, GaN chargers fix that problem in two ways. First, they deliver the same amount of power from a much smaller body, thanks to gallium nitride transistors. Furthermore, if you're willing to spend a little more upfront, you can get a high-capacity, multi-device charger capable of powering your entire digital ecosystem from a single wall outlet, something that could be very useful for a dorm room.

Computing

Gemini Spark can now use Chrome logins and saved passwords to run errands on your behalf

Gemini Spark can use Chrome’s auto browse feature to navigate websites and complete online tasks

Gemini Spark Chrome auto browse feature

Google is integrating Gemini Spark with Chrome so it can carry web-based tasks further without users having to take over at every step. The search giant is also expanding access to AI Pro subscribers in more than 160 additional countries, although the new browser capabilities are initially limited to the United States.

How Chrome auto browse works