> then Google used anticompetitive practices to squash it

Not exactly. Apple happened.

Every "web designer" had to work on a macbook to be different like every one else. And firefox had dismal performances on those macbooks so said designers turned to the only browser with good tools and good enough performances: Chrome.

Next time you're told "performances don't matter", remember how it can be a differentiating feature and could cost you your market share.