The Yahoo becomes another search engine to have its own browser with the launch of Yahoo Axis, which is touted as one of the most aggressive attempts by Yahoo to give a push to its declining brand value in contrast to surging fame of Google.
The Yahoo unveiled its new extension for browsers -Axis- on Thursday, in a bid to give a boost to its deteriorating search business. The browser is available for iPhone and iPad, and provides plug-ins for the desktop browsers Chrome and Firefox, which prevent the user to open a new tab in order to engage in a new search.
When the user get the new Yahoo browser installed to the desktop, the user can see Axis at the bottom of the every opened browser page as a small toolbar displaying a moderate search field, containing a bookmark icon and home button.
"Our search strategy is predicated on two core beliefs - one, that people want answers, not links and two, that consumer-facing search is ripe for innovative disruption," said Shashi Seth, Senior vice president of connections, Yahoo.
According to the Yahoo, its new browser entrant will save time of the user and "redefine what it means to search and browse the web." It is supposed to take out the middle step of the usually search process, Axis lands users on the page directly following the query, without pushing a volley of links to browse across for the right result.
When the users initiate search on the small toolbar located at the bottom of their browser window, Axis, the results appear horizontally and scrollable too, providing left and right arrow marks at the either side.
Another aspect of The Yahoo Axis is that it provides an instant and visual preview of websites in a thumbnail format as result of search.
"With Axis, we have re-defined and re-architected the search and browse experience from the ground up," added Seth.
Meanwhile, Yahoo Axis has received mixed reviews from tech experts, as some say it stumbles on the desktop while others appreciate it.
Rafe Needleman, editor-at-large at technology site Cnet, said, "The implication that Axis entirely bypasses the need to pick from search results is false, but Axis does nonetheless have a much better way of getting you from searching to visiting a Web page. The browser works well. This is an aggressive product for the struggling Yahoo to launch out of its search group."
"The Axis browser may not conquer the world, but it is a very strong mobile product with an important new design concept for search. It's also a gutsy business move from Yahoo. It's rather refreshing," he added.
