The Browser Company's AI-native browser Dia is getting a major upgrade by absorbing the best features from Arc, its experimental predecessor that proved too complex for mainstream adoption. Following Atlassian's $610 million acquisition, founder Josh Miller confirmed that Dia will inherit Arc's "greatest hits" - including the beloved sidebar mode, vertical tabs, and custom shortcuts - while maintaining its AI-first architecture designed for speed and simplicity.
The Browser Company just solved one of the biggest challenges in AI browser development - figuring out what users actually want. Instead of guessing, they're importing the proven winners from Arc, their ambitious but ultimately too-complex browser experiment that's been providing real-world user data for over a year.
Founder Josh Miller made it official on Sunday, confirming that Dia will get "Arc's greatest hits" including the signature sidebar mode that Arc users couldn't live without. The timing makes perfect sense - Atlassian's $610 million acquisition gives the team resources to execute this feature migration properly while maintaining Dia's AI-first foundation.
The strategy reveals just how valuable Arc's "failure" actually was. When The Browser Company launched Arc in mid-2023, it reimagined browsing with separate workspaces, pinned tabs, a Command Bar inspired by Apple's Spotlight, and that distinctive sidebar housing everything from bookmarks to audio controls. But Miller later admitted the harsh truth - Arc was "simply too different, with too many new things to learn, for too little reward."
That complexity killed Arc's mainstream potential, but it generated something arguably more valuable - a year-plus of user behavior data showing exactly which modern browser features actually stick. Early Dia users are already experiencing the payoff. The latest "early birds" release includes focus mode, vertical tabs, pinned tabs in grid view, and automatic Google Meet picture-in-picture when switching tabs.
User feedback confirms the strategy's working. One longtime Arc user posted on X that they're "so close to not miss Arc" after switching to Dia, praising the inherited features while noting Dia feels snappier overall.
Miller's systematically testing the transition of Arc's more complex features too. The team is exploring how to adapt Arc's Spaces - distinct browsing areas with their own pinned tabs, themes, and cookies - for Dia's streamlined approach. They're also testing pinned tabs implementation and gathering feedback on features like swipeable profiles.
