The Demise of Firefox?

Is Firefox really on the verge of death? Is its life span dwindling? Is it hanging on the balance and ready to topple over? These are the absolute questions in my mind as I do this write up. With some years of operation in the market as a browsing platform, I am definitely convinced that Mozilla Firefox is at the verge of death. Let’s see why I am adamant about that fact.

Currently, Mozilla Firefox is at Google’s mercies. It is a fact that Google is the Firefox default search platform. This makes Google the greatest source of revenue for Mozilla Firefox. According to the statistics, it is evident that about 80% of Firefox revenue comes from Google. What could happen if Google resolves to one day say “we are not going to renew the next contract”? Firefox would be on fire! This is threatening to Firefox… it means plummeting revenues and ultimately Firefox out of the market.

Despite many years of operation, Firefox market trend is seriously declining. Statistics from StatCounter depicts a declining trend. For example, Firefox had a market share of 21.89% against Google Chrome which had 36.42% in the month of December 2012. In January 2013 its share had reduced to 21.42% while that of chrome had increased to 36.52%. This diminishing trend can be identified for some period now. This leaves Firefox fate at stake. Its assimilation and long-run existence in the web browsers market is questionable.

The latest move in to the OS space by Mozilla also has me considering the demise of Firefox, though it’s still somewhat uncertain at this point. On one hand, mobile carriers are ready to give praise to any operating system that gives them independence from Apple or Google. They also love an OS that is easily customizable, such as what is available via HTML5. On the other hand, the OS seems to be oriented to budget headset makers, and it also doesn’t provide the most polished OS. Engadget posted a great article which summarizes some of the faults of Firefox OS.

Every user needs a web browser that gives exemplary browsing experience in terms of speed, HTML5/CSS3 compatibility, security and cold start capabilities. When it comes to Firefox, it’s simply turning into a laggard in these areas. Chrome can outperform Firefox as demonstrated in a LifeHacker Speed Test. One is left to wonder “why even bother with Firefox?” If Chrome continues to outperform Firefox in these areas, it’s simply another nail in the coffin for Firefox.

Finally, you need a browser that will protect you from malicious malware, hackers, viruses and adware. In terms of security while browsing, Firefox security supporting fundamentals leaves a lot to be desired. Research shows that Chrome stands as the most secure browser in the market. Firefox comes last in this list! This is a critical issue and may lead to abrupt abandoning of Firefox for other secure and more efficient browsers in the market.

Now, do you see why we are going to bury Firefox?