The Browser Company announced it is exploring options to either sell or open-source its Arc Browser, as it shifts resources towards developing its new AI-driven browser, Dia.
Last December, when the company revealed plans for Dia, it acknowledged that Arc was complex and difficult for many users, and intended to create a browser with broader appeal. Although Arc continued to receive security updates and bug fixes, feature development ceased, signaling the company’s change in priorities.
In a recent message to users, CEO Josh Miller described Arc as having suffered from a “novelty tax,” meaning its innovations and peculiarities outweighed practical benefits for the average person. Miller stated, “For most people, Arc was simply too different, with too many new things to learn, for too little reward. On top of that, Arc lacked cohesion in both its core features and core values. It was experimental, and that was part of its charm, but also its complexity.”
Still, the company does not plan to discontinue Arc entirely. Instead, it is weighing the option of selling the browser or potentially making it open-source. However, Miller explained the obstacles involved with making Arc open-source, primarily because the browser relies heavily on the Arc Development Kit (ADK), an internal SDK central to the company’s proprietary technology and vital to its new Dia browser. According to Miller, fully open-sourcing Arc without releasing ADK is not currently feasible.
The idea of open-sourcing Arc is a popular request from its user base, many of whom have expressed support for turning it into an open, community-driven project.
Meanwhile, the Browser Company’s upcoming Dia browser remains in alpha testing stages. While no firm date has been set for a wider public rollout, the company confirmed that current Arc users will soon be invited to try out the new browser.
