Google wins search battle
It may have trampled every IT firm threatening to encroach on its top line revenue stream but it seems to have found its match in Google. Earlier last month, Google complained that Microsoft’s freshly released operating software Vista had made it tougher for consumers to use desktop search applications offered by Microsoft’s competitors, violating the consent order signed after previous complaints.
Microsoft has agreed to make three changes to its Windows Vista when it updates to the software later this year. It also agreed to allow computer manufacturers and consumers to select a default desktop search program – just as they can with third-party web browsers and media players.
However, it’s the timing of Microsoft’s filing that casts aspersions on its sincerity to amend its Vista offering. It comes ahead of a hearing set to review its compliance with a 2002 anti-trust deal.
The deal between Microsoft, the US Justice Department and state attorneys-general blunts what Google CE Eric Schmidt may have feared could evolve into a thrust by Microsoft into its lucrative business of selling ads against online search results.
Google has recently emerged as a formidable threat to Microsoft’s dominance of the global Internet industry. Google has strengthened its efforts to undermine Microsoft’s money-spinning Office desktop productivity franchise, announcing that it’s scooping up the assets of online presentation software specialist Zenter for an undisclosed sum.
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