Mozilla can run out of Google money in 3 years
Yesterday, Mitchell Baker, the chairperson of the Mozilla Foundation and former CEO of the Mozilla Corporation which develops the Firefox browser, came out with updated numbers about its finances.
Last year, the non-profit revenues hit $75 million, of which $66 million or 88% came from its Google partnership. In 2006, the Foundation pulled in $67 million, and Google dollars accounted for 85 per cent of that or close to $60 millions.
The Mozilla deal with Google ends in November 2011. So Mozilla has 3 years to find another sugar daddy or risks to fall in oblivion like its predecessor, Netscape.
After frustration over Firefox slow improvements, Google launched its own Internet browser, Chrome. And if it gets it off the ground, then the Mountain View, Calif., will less incentive to strike another favourable deal with Mozilla.
In other Mozilla news, Firefox and other Mozilla products hit a major milestone today with the one billionth download of add-on software for the browser; after just 3.5 years!
Except you miss the fact that Google is not a “sugar daddy” here, unless you also think Google is Apple’s sugar daddy. Google is paying a commission for traffic referrals, just like they to do to Apple for Safari. Google *makes more money off of this deal than they pay to Mozilla*. They are not doing this out of the kindness of their heart. It is a business deal.