The Netscape web browser, which had been written off by
industry observers last year, is about to enjoy a new lease of life
following America Online's decision to release an update as early
as next month.
The update appears to be part of a broader effort by AOL to
revitalise the Netscape brand it acquired in a $4.2bn deal in 1998.
AOL is also testing a new Netscape Desktop Navigator product and
launched the low-cost Netscape Internet service in January.
The update will replace version 7.1, which was released in
mid-2003. It will be based on version 1.7 of Mozilla, an upcoming
release of the Mozilla internet application suite, according to a
source familiar with the product plans.
Analysts had said that the death knell was sounding for the
Netscape browser after AOL last year laid off Netscape software
developers and ended development work on the Mozilla browser
technology.
Development work was taken over by the Mozilla open-source
project, which was originally started in early 1998 by Netscape
Communications and continued when AOL acquired Netscape later that
year. Last year, the people behind Mozilla created a foundation,
largely funded by a $2m pledge from AOL, to build, support and
promote Mozilla products.
AOL has also started beta testing a new product called the
Netscape Desktop Navigator that offers access to localised web
content - based on the user's zip or postal code - through a round
user interface that resembles a coaster. The beta version of the
Netscape Desktop Navigator is available for download at
http://navigator-stage.netscape.com/
The center of the coaster contains an internet search bar, news
headlines and weather, while the edges are buttons for pulling up
various kinds of information from the web, including movie and TV
times, phone books, maps, personals and shopping.
Information shown in the Netscape Desktop Navigator is provided
by AOL and partners such as InfoSpace. The information first
appears in a screen that folds down over the coaster, but another
click will open the user's default Wwb browser, which could be
Microsoft's Internet Explorer.
The updated browser bundle and the Desktop Navigator are likely
be offered as a bundle, said Richard Doherty, research director at
The Envisioneering Group. Doherty said he first heard that an
update to the Netscape browser is in the works from former AOL
employees.
Netscape was the most popular browser in the early years of the
web, although its market share started crumbling when Microsoft
introduced Internet Explorer in the mid-1990s. The acquisition of
Netscape by Microsoft rival AOL and a lengthy antitrust trial could
not change the browser's fortune.
Microsoft's Internet Explorer held 96% of the browser market in
March 2004, leaving just 4% to be divided between Netscape, Apple
Computer's Safari and other browsers including Opera and Mozilla,
according to web tracking company WebSideStory.
Joris Evers writes for IDG News
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