The Browser Firm on Tuesday mentioned it’s contemplating promoting or open-sourcing its Arc Browser because it seeks to divert sources to creating a brand new, AI-powered browser known as Dia.
When the corporate introduced Dia in December 2024, it admitted that Arc was a fancy browser for lots of customers, and it wished to construct a product that appealed to the lots. Since then, The Browser Firm has been issuing bug fixes and safety updates to Arc, however has stopped creating the app and including options to it.
In a new blog post, the corporate’s CEO, Josh Miller, mentioned Arc browser ran right into a “novelty tax” downside.
“For most individuals, Arc was just too completely different, with too many new issues to be taught, for too little reward […] On high of that, Arc lacked cohesion in each its core options and core values. It was experimental, that was a part of its attraction, but additionally its complexity,” Miller wrote.
The Browser Firm doesn’t plan to close down Arc utterly, but it surely mentioned it has thought of promoting it or open-sourcing it. Nevertheless, Miller mentioned the problem in open-sourcing the browser is that it’s constructed on high of the Arc Growth Package, an inner SDK, which can be the core element of its new browser Dia, and it wouldn’t wish to give away that IP.
“Whereas we’d like to open-source Arc sometime, we will’t try this meaningfully with out additionally open-sourcing ADK. And ADK remains to be core to our firm’s worth. That doesn’t imply it’ll by no means occur,” Miller mentioned.
Notably, many Arc Browser users have been asking the corporate to show it into an open-source challenge.
The Browser Firm’s Dia browser remains to be in alpha testing. The corporate hasn’t given a date for a wider launch, but it surely mentioned that it’s going to make the browser out there for testing to Arc members.