Yahoo is struggling. Lots of questions surround the dot com pioneer in the wake of big layoffs and a still-fresh CEO scandal.
The biggest question, "What do you do next?" may have been answered this morning: Yahoo just released a new mobile browser. Called "Axis," this could be the key strike for Yahoo as it tries to claw its way back to dot com relevance. After all, Facebook admits it's a bit weak in the mobile department, and Google is trying hard to duplicate its search success in the mobile world.
Early reviews are almost all positive about Axis, and it's not hard to see why. It's a smooth experience in an area -- mobile browsing -- that has not been smoothed over yet. Too many websites just shrink when you put them on your phone or tablet. Axis is made for the mobile world, and looks like it. It's a nice fit, as opposed to a forced fit.
Will people search with it? Big question. For my money, the Google mobile search experience is pretty good -- just like the web itself, it's going to be an uphill climb for Yahoo to take search share away from Google, even on your mobile phone. That said, Axis is a good place to start -- the future is mobile, and if Yahoo wants to stake a claim to the future, it needs to be a mobile leader.
Scott is mobile, and on Twitter: @scottbudman
