Google has made a massive bet on .app domains. The company acquired the rights to this new extension for $25 million, the highest amount ever paid in a public auction for a domain extension.
.APP was already one of the most anticipated new domains before it launched. Companies had been eyeing the auction date for months. When the day arrived, bids climbed fast, and so did the tension. Alongside Google, 12 other companies competed, including Amazon and Mind + Machines (the company behind .london, .bayern, and .casa). In the penultimate round, Google and two other bidders were still willing to go past $20 million. In the end, Google’s deep pockets won out.
The $25 million price tag is the highest ever recorded in a public domain auction. The next closest was .tech at $6.8 million. Amazon paid around $5 million for .buy. That said, some extensions have changed hands for between $10 and $20 million in private deals.
Google’s plans for .app aren’t entirely clear yet, though speculation points to it playing a role in the company’s ongoing efforts to support app developers.
