User choice?

Internet Explorer 7, set to come out this summer is the first upgrade to the browser in 5 years. Amongst many new features that will be part of the new version, there is a small search box in the upper right corner of the browser. What it does is it allows the user to start a search directly, without having to go to a web site of a search engine. On typing a search query and hitting enter, the user is directly taken to a web page of the search engine containing the results. Unless set otherwise, this search box is set to use Microsoft'’s MSN search.

This move as per Google, benefits Microsoft tremendously. Google says that about 30-50 percent of all the web search originate from that little search box. They also say that it limit user choice as not many people are savvy enough to be able to change the default search engine.

In the past few months Google has:

1. Heavily promoted Google Toolbar, which also has a small search box. The default search engine it uses is Google.
2. Heavily promoted Firefox, which also has a small search box. The default search engine it uses is Google.
3. Paid $ 1 billion to Dell computers, for having them install a Googlized web browser on the computers they ship.
4. And let's not forget about Safari, where Google is the default search engine and it's very hard for normal people to change that.

So is Google really concerned about giving the user a choice?

Outgoing links:
Internet Explorer home page
Google Promoting Firefox on its home page
Google Shares Slammed On Billion-Dollar Dell Deal

Tags: google, microsoft, ie7