Naver Challenges Chrome with 'Whale' Browser, Aiming for No.1 in Korea Within 3 Years

Kim Hyo, Naver Lead Manager

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] Naver has thrown down the gauntlet in the web browser market dominated by Google's Chrome. The company has set a goal to become the number one in the domestic market within three years. Naver's move to target the web browser market aims to prevent domestic services from being dependent on foreign web browsers. Naver is taking a stand to defend 'browser sovereignty.'

Challenging Chrome

Kim Hyo, the lead responsible for Naver's web browser Whale service, explained at a press briefing on the 27th that "a browser is the most basic gateway for users to connect to the internet and serves as a foundational platform providing a technical environment for developers." He added, "Under the 'user first' direction, Whale has created the perception that browsers can also be convenient services. By introducing new usability tailored to the mobile era, we aim to surpass global players and become the number one browser in the domestic market within three years." According to market research firm StatCounter, Whale's domestic browser market share stands at about 7.63%, still trailing behind Chrome's 52.77%.

Through Whale, Naver intends to prevent domestic companies from being controlled by policy changes of global firms like Google. Kim emphasized, "With Whale's emergence, domestic users can choose a browser optimized for the domestic internet environment in a browser market where global tech companies compete. As cloud-based services increase, having a domestic browser is also important from the perspective of the continuous and stable growth of the domestic web ecosystem."

Optimized for Domestic Environment

Naver's strategy to capture the web browser market involves various convenience features. Whale's unique functions, not found in existing browsers, include 'Dual Tab,' which splits one window into two for simultaneous work; 'Quick Search,' which instantly provides definitions when dragging over unfamiliar words; and 'Sidebar,' which gathers various convenience tools in one place. Whale allows users to use mobile services seamlessly on PCs. Regardless of whether it's an iPhone, Windows computer, Android phone, or MacBook, files can be sent and received without interruption through Whale. Whale also offers services tailored to the domestic market, such as embedding a 'Hangul Viewer' to directly view the widely used 'hwp' files in Korea within the browser.

Since its launch in 2017, Whale has steadily developed various features. This month, it introduced the 'Sidebar Standalone Mode.' Without opening the Whale browser window, users can run the translation tool 'Papago' to translate foreign languages or listen to music through the 'Vibe' music service. Recently added features include the 'Quick Search Widget' for direct Naver searches from the desktop, the 'PC Call' function that transfers phone numbers to mobile phones when clicking 'Call' on companies searched via PC Whale, and the video conferencing solution 'Whale On.'

Naver also expressed its ambition for Whale to establish itself as a 'web service platform' beyond a simple browser. The first project is 'Whale Space for Education,' an educational web service platform. With a single integrated account and no need for separate program installations, users can easily access various teaching tools and partner services within Whale. Whale is expanding its 'Whale ecosystem' through collaborations with various partners such as LG Electronics, Hancom, and Qualcomm. Kim stated, "The 'Whalebook' laptop, developed in collaboration with LG Electronics, is expected to be released in the second half of the year."

Kim concluded, "Competing against global players who dominate the operating system (OS) ecosystem and overturning the browser market landscape is a very challenging task, but Whale is steadily growing through convenient usability. Even if it takes time, we will continue to challenge in our own way and further strengthen Whale's presence in the browser market."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.