Google has become the owner of the .app domain after it outbid other tech companies and decided to shell out $25 million in the process.
Ever since the ICANN introduced novelty gTLDs, companies have been scrambling to get the ownership and bidding with large sums of money at the auctions. Microsoft has applied for domains such as ".Windows", ".Xbox" and ".Skype" among many others and Amazon managed to get the ".buy" domain for $5 million last year. But Google has now managed to pay the highest bid for a domain, so far.
Google already owns domains such as ".how," ".soy," and ".minna" and has applied for more than 50 domains since 2012, including three non-English ones. The .app domain which was finally sold for $25 million is the highest amount for a domain so far. Previously, the .tech domain was purchased for $6.7 million after Dot Tech LLC outbid Google to acquire it.
It seems Google will continue to pursue such auctions in the future as the company's spokesperson sent out the following comment to Business Insider, "We've been excited and curious about the potential for new TLDs for .soy long. We are very .app-y with .how, at a .minna-mum, they have the potential to .foo-ward internet innovation"
Google's own domain registry hasn't been updated to reflect the purchase yet or the company might have some other plans for it.
Source: Business Insider
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