Now that everyone is talking about Microsoft’s proposed buyout of Yahoo!, I thought of going back in time and taking a peek at the rivalry between Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft. Surprisingly, they go neck to neck in all areas and while Google is the dominant one as of now, you just cannot say who will win the war. Assuming the Microsoft –Yahoo! deal does go out well and give a huge competition to Google, let me point out the strengths and weaknesses of both sides.
Microsoft bought MessageCast Inc, which is an automated alerting and messaging services firm, while Google was talking about its much-hyped Android platform.
Google bought Marratech, a video conferencing software firm, to compete with Microsoft’s Unified Communications.
Microsoft bought ScreenTonic, a mobile advertising solutions firm, to compete with Google ad solutions.
Google bought YouTube for a whopping $1.65 billion and captured a huge share of the market. Later, Microsoft came up with Soapbox to compete with YouTube but failed miserably.
Google bought Picasa, a photo management software, to set its foot in the market. Later, Yahoo! acquired both Ludicorp and Flickr and has become the market leader in photo sharing.
Google bought Where2 Mapping software to compete with Yahoo Maps, but couldn’t succeed as Yahoo! still remains the market leader.
In the internet space, it’s even more interesting. While Google is the clear winner in the internet search market, leaving Yahoo Search and MSN Search in the lurch, Yahoo Mail is a little ahead of both Gmail and Hotmail. Also, GTalk is giving serious competition to both Yahoo Messenger and MSN Messenger.
Then, Google made history with its acquisition of DoubleClick for an astronomical $3.1 billion. Now, with its proposed buyout, Microsoft could make history if it does buy Yahoo! for $44.6 billion.
If the acquisition were to happen, it would mean huge competition for Google, no doubt about that. Thanks to the intense competition, both sides will go out of their way to please their customers and retain/expand their market share. In other words, it’s going to be good times for us, customers.
Tags: Android, competition, DoubleClick, Flickr, Gmail, Google, GTalk, Hotmail, internet search, Ludicorp, Marratech, MessageCast Inc, Microsoft, MSN Messenger, MSN Search, photo sharing, Picasa, ScreenTonic, Soapbox, Unified Communications, Where2 Mapping software, Yahoo, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Maps, Yahoo Messenger, Yahoo Search, YouTube
Technorati Tags: Android, competition, DoubleClick, Flickr, Gmail, Google, GTalk, Hotmail, internet search, Ludicorp, Marratech, MessageCast Inc, Microsoft, MSN Messenger, MSN Search, photo sharing, Picasa, ScreenTonic, Soapbox, Unified Communications, Where2 Mapping software, Yahoo, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Maps, Yahoo Messenger, Yahoo Search, YouTube
Categories: Google, All things mobile phones, Yahoo, Microsoft.
By now, I think everyone and their mother knows about Microsoft’s proposed buyout of Yahoo! And you should, because if it were to happen, it would be undoubtedly the biggest and the most important acquisition ever made in the industry. Now, what does this deal mean for mobile industry? A lot.
Firstly, we all know that Yahoo Go Mobile is a huge success and it’s really a brilliant interface which offers you the best of browsing experiences and the best of applications. Now, if Microsoft were to integrate Yahoo Go Mobile in its Windows Mobile, it could be huge. Though you can already download Yahoo Go Mobile on Windows Mobile, hardly anyone does. By integrating it into Windows Mobile, Microsoft could simply rejuvenate its Windows Mobile market and Yahoo could reach millions and millions of users effectively.
Yahoo Maps, as we know, is the market leader and when combined with Windows Mobile, it could be a potent rival to Google Maps.
Yahoo Mail, undoubtedly, is way better than Microsoft’s mail service and if integrated into Windows Mobile, could be a huge success. Already, Yahoo Mail is used widely on the iPhone.
When it comes to Instant Messaging, both Yahoo and Microsoft have winners in Instant Messenger and Windows Live Messenger respectively. When these two merge, they could cater to a huge market and be far more effective.
Yahoo already provides the widgets for iPhone and it has been popular with users. If Microsoft could use these widgets on its Windows Mobile devices, it would make them even more compelling for the users. Most importantly, Microsoft will be in a position to tackle the iPhone competition, which already uses Yahoo widgets.
Photos and Sharing would become far more comfortable and easier for the users, as they will be able to access Flickr and Windows Live Spaces, both of which are extremely popular.
Last but not least, if Yahoo and Microsoft did come together, the search app would become far more powerful and could pose a serious threat to Google’s dominancy in the search market.
So, a lot is being speculated on this proposed buyout and it would be interesting to see the developments from now on. It will also be interesting to see what Google does to face this giant of a competition. Interesting times ahead people, watch this space closely.
Tags: acquisition, buyout, Flickr, Google, Google Maps, instant messaging, Instant Messenger, iPhone, Microsoft, mobile industry, photos and sharing, search app, widgets, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Spaces, Windows Mobile, Yahoo, Yahoo Go Mobile, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Maps
Technorati Tags: acquisition, buyout, Flickr, Google, Google Maps, instant messaging, Instant Messenger, iPhone, Microsoft, mobile industry, photos and sharing, search app, widgets, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Spaces, Windows Mobile, Yahoo, Yahoo Go Mobile, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Maps
Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones, Yahoo, Microsoft.
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