Microsoft has always owned the UI, whether that be the command line or desktop – owning this is their unwritten mission statement.
Google owns the command line for the web, so they directly step on Microsoft's territory.
IE7 has search built into the browser – although it lists several search engines, it will not include saving Google search over MSN as a default setting. This tiny detail is a passive aggressive masterstroke – everyone is equal but MSN is more equal than others. It forces a minute ‘switching cost’, changing the dropdown every single time you do a search if you really like Google. Web savvy people will do this, but would your mother? Moreover, it is rumored that IE7 will not allow Google or Yahoo toolbars.
This steps on Google's territory. If web search boxes go from being embedded in a web page to being embedded in a browser, owned by a rival, that ships by default to the majority of computer users, then Google will have to build a browser.
This may be Google’s Netscape moment, they are Netscape with revenues, but without a Netscape. Of course there is one thing that Google could do to make a truly revolutionary browser – the clue is to look back to the very first one.
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tags: [search_engines]