Brave (web browser)

Brave
Developer(s) Brave Software Inc.[1]
Stable release(s) [±]
Android 1.0.54 / August 31, 2018 (2018-08-31)[2]
iOS 1.6.4 / August 15, 2018 (2018-08-15)[3]
Windows, macOS, Linux 0.23.105 / August 29, 2018 (2018-08-29)[4]
Preview release(s) [±]
Repository https://github.com/brave/browser-laptop
Written in C, JavaScript, C++
Operating system
Engine
  • Blink
Edit this at Wikidata
Type Web browser
License
[5]
Website brave.com

Brave is a free and open-source web browser developed by Brave Software Inc. based on the Chromium web browser and its Blink engine. The browser blocks ads and website trackers. In a future version of the browser, the company intends to adopt a pay-to-surf business model.

As of 2018, Brave supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. The current version features 20 search engines by default, including their partner DuckDuckGo.[6]

Business model

Brave Software has announced that it is developing a feature allowing users to opt in to receiving ads sold by the company in place of ads blocked by the browser.[7][8][9] Brave intends to pay content publishers 55% of the replaced ad revenue. Brave Software, ad partners, and browser users would each be allocated 15% of the revenue. Users would be able to donate their revenue share to content publishers through micropayments.[10]

In a testing version of the browser, Brave targets web ads by analyzing users' anonymized browsing history.[11]

Brave Software's Basic Attention Token ad exchange platform received investment from Danhua Capital, Digital Currency Group, Foundation Capital, Founders Fund, Huiyin Blockchain Venture, Pantera Capital, and Propel Venture Partners.[12]

History

Brave is developed by Brave Software, which was founded on May 28, 2015 by Brendan Eich and Brian Bondy. On January 20, 2016, Brave Software launched the first version of Brave with a partial ad blocking feature, and announced plans for an ad replacement feature and a revenue sharing program.[13]

In June 2018, Brave released a pay-to-surf testing version of the browser. This version of Brave is preloaded with approximately 250 ads, and sends a detailed log of the user's browsing activity to Brave. Brave announced that expanded trials will follow.[14] Later that month, Brave added support for Tor in its desktop browser's private browsing mode.[15]

Critical reception

TechCrunch[16], Computerworld[17], and Engadget[18] termed Brave's ad replacement plans "controversial".

In January 2016, in reaction to Brave Software's initial announcement, Sebastian Anthony of Ars Technica described Brave as a "cash-grab" and a "double dip". Anthony concluded, "Brave is an interesting idea, but generally it's rather frowned upon to stick your own ads in front of someone else's."[10]

In February 2016, Andy Patrizio of Network World reviewed a pre-release version of Brave. Patrizio criticized the browser's feature set as "mighty primitive", but lauded its performance: "Pages load instantly. I can't really benchmark page loads since they happen faster than I can start/stop the stopwatch."[19]

In April 2016, the CEO of the Newspaper Association of America, David Chavern, said that Brave's proposed replacement of advertising "should be viewed as illegal and deceptive by the courts, consumers, and those who value the creation of content". Eich responded by emphasizing that the browser gives "the lion's share" of ad revenue to content publishers.[20]

In April 2017, TechWorld praised Brave's "great speeds and advanced ad-tracking controls", but said that its "extension functionality is still lacking".[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Learn About Brave and Our Team". Brave Browser. Retrieved 16 Jul 2018.
  2. ↑ "Brave Browser: Fast AdBlocker". Google Play Store. Google. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  3. ↑ "Brave Browser: Fast AdBlocker on the App Store". iOS App Store. Apple. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  4. ↑ "Releases". brave/browser-laptop. Brave Software. Retrieved 2018-06-30 – via GitHub.
  5. ↑ "browser-laptop/LICENSE.txt at master". GitHub. 29 Jun 2017. Retrieved 26 Jul 2018.
  6. ↑ "Brave's browser offers you a bit more privacy when searching online", CNET, CBS Interactive, 14 Dec 2017, retrieved 16 Jul 2018
  7. ↑ "Brave browser promises faster Web by banishing intrusive ads". cnet.com. 20 January 2016.
  8. ↑ Patrizio, Andy. "Benchmark tests: Brave browser vs. Chrome, Firefox, and IE 11". Network World. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Brave Browser. Retrieved 16 Jul 2018.
  10. 1 2 Anthony, Sebastian (2016-01-21). "Mozilla co-founder unveils Brave, a browser that blocks ads by default". Ars Technica.
  11. ↑ "Brave Ads History Collection Privacy Policy". Brave Browser. 20 Jun 2018. Retrieved 10 Aug 2018.
  12. ↑ "Basic Attention Token". Retrieved 16 Jul 2018.
  13. ↑ Ha, Anthony (20 Jan 2016). "With Brave Software, JavaScript's Creator Is Building A Browser For The Ad-Blocked Future". TechCrunch. Retrieved 16 Jul 2018.
  14. ↑ Lomas, Natasha (20 Jun 2018). "Blockchain browser Brave starts opt-in testing of on-device ad targeting". TechCrunch. Retrieved 16 Jul 2018.
  15. ↑ Shankland, Stephen. "Brave advances browser privacy with Tor-powered tabs". CNET. CNET. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  16. ↑ Perez, Sarah (1 Aug 2016). "Brave, the ad-blocking browser from former Mozilla CEO, grabs $4.5 million". TechCrunch. Retrieved 10 Aug 2018.
  17. ↑ Keizer, Gregg (25 Jun 2018). "Brave browser begins controversial ad repeal-and-replace tests". Computerworld. Retrieved 10 Aug 2018.
  18. ↑ England, Rachel (20 Jun 2018). "Privacy browser Brave pays 'crypto tokens' for watching its ads". Engadget. Retrieved 10 Aug 2018.
  19. ↑ Patrizio, Andy (2016-02-04). "Benchmark tests: How the Brave browser compares with Chrome, Firefox, and IE 11". Network World. IDG. Retrieved 10 Aug 2018.
  20. ↑ Murphy, David (April 8, 2016). "Newspapers: Ad-Blocking Brave Browser Is Illegal, Deceptive". PC Magazine. Retrieved 2018-07-02.
  21. ↑ Mercer, Christina; Dunn, John E (26 Apr 2018). "The most secure browsers 2018". Techworld. IDG. Retrieved 16 Jul 2018.
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