Maxthon (, formerly named MyIE2) is a freeware web browser, created by JeffChen in Singapore. It is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and as Maxthon Mobile for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8. Since version 6, Maxthon is based on Chromium.
Overview
Maxthon is a Hong Kong company known mainly for producing web browsers for Windows. It is headquartered in Singapore, with offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, and San Francisco, US. Most of Maxthon's engineers are based in the corporate headquarters in China, which develops and maintains versions of the Maxthon browser for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Windows Phone.
Maxthon has also created other products including a Chinese language news and information portal i.maxthon.cn, a Chinese language casual gaming portal and humor website, a ‘Kid Safe’ web browser for Android and iOS, a free online account system named Maxthon Passport, and an English language news and information web portal i.maxthon.com.
Corporate history
In 2002, current CEO Ming Jie "Jeff" Chen () created MyIE2 browser based on open source product MyIE., in Singapore, and renamed to "Maxthon" in 2003. In 2005, the team received seed funding from venture capital firm WI Harper Group and Morten Lund, the first Skype investor, and Chen moved the company to Beijing. In 2006, Maxthon received further investment from the US-based venture capital firm Charles River Ventures.
Maxthon was one of the twelve browsers Microsoft presented in 2010 at BrowserChoice.eu, a website allowing users of Windows residing in the European Economic Area to choose which default web browser to use on their computer. In late 2010, Maxthon began releasing new compatibilities, including browsers for Android Mac, iPhone and iPad. As of August 2012, Maxthon is still in the first tier of browsers in BrowserChoice.eu after the removal of Apple Safari. The Maxthon Cloud Browser was released on December 10, 2012.
Investment from Google
On April 10, 2007, TechCrunch reported that Google had invested at least US$1 million in Maxthon; this was denied the following day by Chen. However, in an interview with the Chinese web portal Sina.com, Chen did not rule out future "cooperation" between the two businesses.
Awards
Maxthon Browser has received several awards and recognitions over the years for its innovative features and user-friendly interface. Some of the awards and recognitions include:
WebWare 100 Winner : Maxthon was selected as one of the top 100 web applications by WebWare 2009, a CNET site. About.com Reader's Choice Awards (2009, 2011,2014): Maxthon was voted as the Best Alternative Browser by the readers of About.com in both 2009, 2011 and 2014. Red Herring 100 Asia (2013): Maxthon was included in the Red Herring 100 Asia list, recognising the most promising private technology ventures from the Asian business region. PCWorld's 100 Best Products of 2011: Maxthon was ranked among the top 100 products by PCWorld magazine in 2011. Global Mobile Internet Conference (2012): Maxthon Mobile was awarded the Best Mobile Browser at the Global Mobile Internet Conference held in Beijing, China. These awards showcase Maxthon Browser's commitment to innovation and user experience, even though it has not reached the same market share as some other major browsers.