Chennai-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform Zoho Corporation has launched a privacy-focused browser called Ulaa. The browser, which means “voyage” in Tamil, comes with built-in capabilities to block tracking and website surveillance, with features such as privacy customisation, integrated productivity tools, and built-in user profile modes.
Users can also sync browsing sessions between devices. Ulaa prohibits DNS prefetching, ad and data tracking, and push notifications, pop-ups, and time tracking, preventing online tracking and surveillance, and protecting users from identity theft and targeted advertising. Zoho said that while existing internet browsers feed data back to software providers and companies that pay for user data, Ulaa doesn’t track or share user data with any third parties.
Zoho CEO and co-founder Sridhar Vembu said that many browsers on the market today are created to protect ad-based business models and surveillance companies, which conflict with user preferences, causing users to lose out. Vembu said Ulaa allows users to browse without compromising privacy. According to a recent report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kantar, 759 million Indians, or 42% of the total population, are active internet users, but web privacy remains a major concern despite ongoing privacy rule and law revamps.
Ulaa is currently available for free for desktops, with the free iOS and Android versions available for download in beta mode. Zoho’s browser also comes with five different user profile modes, including personal and work modes, kids mode, developer mode, and open season mode.
In a separate statement, Zoho talked about its investments in AI, saying it has integrated ChatGPT’s generative AI with Zia, the company’s intelligent assistant search tool. The move is expected to provide users with a more intuitive, efficient, and secure experience, reflecting Zoho’s deep R&D-first culture.
