China’s leading search engine operator, Baidu, releases new mobile browser

China’s leading search engine operator, Baidu, releases new mobile browserChina’s most popular search engine operator, Baidu Inc., has recently released its new mobile browser – the Baidu Mobile Browser – which, going by the company’s claims, will not only facilitate faster Internet access and downloads, but will also enable users to run Web-based apps.

Briefing the reporters about the new Baidu Mobile Browser at the browser’s pre-launch session on Friday, Li Mingyuan - general manager of mobile and cloud computing at Baidu – said that the browser will take on the UC Browser, Google Chrome and default Android browser, and Apple Safari.

According to Li, internal tests of the new Baidu Mobile Browser have revealed that the browser is nearly 20 percent faster than its rivals; and that it will allow the users to run high-definition video, sans the need of downloading any apps or supporting software.

Li also said that Baidu Mobile Browser will – together with the other Baidu mobile offerings like the company’s mobile operating system and affordably-priced smartphones launched with hardware partners – help the China-based company secure its share in a mobile Internet market, and eventually come up with a source of revenue.

With Baidu presently making a large chunk of its revenue from users searching from laptops and desktops, the release of the new mobile browser would mark the company’s shift to the mobile arena. Li said that Baidu is projecting that its mobile browser will be downloaded on approximately 80 percent of the Android-based handsets in China by the end of this year.