Microsoft no threat to Google? Think again

Stan Beer
Sunday, 21 May 2006 18:41

Business IT - Technology

A majority of internet users polled over the space of a week believe that Microsoft is not going to be a serious threat to Google in the search space. However, there are still many who believe Microsoft can seriously threaten the search leader's dominance, including Google itself.

An iTWire poll, which had 1111 respondents, asked the question: "Will Microsoft be a serious threat to Google in the search space?" 645 respondents answered no (58.1%), while 466 answered yes (41.0%). Microsoft, which is running a distant third behind Google and Yahoo, has been making a serious assault on the search engine business in recent times, with a massive rebranding and search product strategy exercise.

The launch of the Windows Live Search brand, the imminent launch of Microsoft's new browser, Internet Explorer 7, which will include Live Search as the default search box (despite protests from Google), and the announcement of an enterprise desktop intranet search facility integrated with the upcoming Windows Vista operating system are all evidence that Microsoft intends to be a dominant force in the search space.

Whether Microsoft is going to achieve its goal remains open to question. However, with 85% internet browser and 90% PC desktop market shares, it would seem to be foolish to dismiss the software giant at this stage. Google itself knows that Microsoft is anything but a spent force, which is why it lodged protests with the US Department of Justice and European Commission over the Live Search box in IE7. In fact, Google is distinctly uncomfortable with the power that Microsoft wields in the browser space, which is why it has offered web publishers financial inducements to get visitors to switch to Mozilla Firefox, where Google has the default search box.

Google is also keen to move the search battlefront onto the Windows desktop, where it currently enjoys a clear technological adavantage over Microsoft, with products like Google Desktop. However, Microsoft has demonstrated more than once that not being the technology front-runner is no disadvantage when you dominate a platform. Then again, Microsoft has never come up against an adversary like Google.