Revenue model of desktop explorers:
1. Opera:
On desktop, Opera collects revenue in several different ways:
1. Search partners
The Opera Browser features integrated search and shopping bars, and partner companies pay a fee to Opera every time a user utilizes the integrated search or shopping bar. Opera cooperates with a few select partners it feels can contribute value to its product and users. Deals with companies like Google, Fast, Lycos, InfoSeek, Yahoo, Amazon, and eBay are showing constant growth in revenues for Opera.
2. Rendering engine as a separate product
Opera delivers a full-featured, embeddable version of its desktop browser that can be integrated into a wide range of applications. Adobe and Macromedia are important partners in this segment.
3. Opera Web Mail
Opera provides a free and a pay service Webmail. When users pay for the premium service, Opera splits the revenue with Outblaze, the company that operates the service.
Reference: http://www.opera.com/company/investors/faq/#faq3
2. Mozilla Firefox:
1. Mozilla has published its audited financial statements from 2008, reporting $78.6 million in revenue for the fiscal year—a five percent increase from 2007.
2. Most of Mozilla's revenue is generated through search deals with Google and other popular website operators like Yahoo, Amazon, eBay, and others. Mozilla receives a kickback for integrating search services from these companies into the Firefox Web browser. Mozilla also generates revenue from investments and donations that are made by individuals to the foundation.
As of November 2009 the daily number of Mozilla users has grown to 110 million, bringing the total number of users to approximately 330 million people. As of November, 2009 Firefox’s market share worldwide reached 25%.
http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2009/11/19/state-of-mozilla-and-2008/
3. Google Chrome:
Revenue = Amount of Time on the Web
Every second you’re playing a desktop game, using Microsoft Office, or using AOL Instant Messenger, that’s unrealized potential revenue. The equation may be obvious, but that doesn’t diminish its importance.
Its product releases are a clear indication of this trend. Nearly every Google product is designed to get you on the web. Gmail is integrated with Gtalk online, Google Docs exists in the cloud, and most of all, Google Chrome is designed to get the world to rely on web-based applications more
Google built Chrome: for faster load times, for increased use of web apps by users, and freeing up user time so they can browse the web more.
Each and every one of those improvements means increased time on the web, which, if you remember the Google Revenue Equation, means more money.
http://mashable.com/2009/07/11/google-equation/
4. Revenue Model of IE:
IE generates revenue from following Partner programs:
a. IE Partner Opportunities: Build brand awareness and promote your products and services by using the special features of Internet Explorer.
b. IE Add-On Gallery
c. Partner Logo Program
d. IE Partner Marketing toolkit.
