Will Google's Sony Chrome OS Deal Influence Search?

google chrome/vaios

While Google's preinstall deal with Sony making Chrome the default Web browser on Vaio computers and PCs reflects Google's latest jab at Microsoft -- which leads in the browser war -- it gives the search engine something that Mozilla had hoped to gain for Firefox, and has some wondering if the deal could further influence search.

Sony shipped 1.3 million PCs worldwide and 1.2 million notebooks in the first quarter of 2009, according to iSuppli. The El Segundo, Calif. research firm says that's down a bit from the 1.5 million PCs and 1.4 million notebooks in the December 2008 quarter.

Microsoft Internet Explorer held 66.97% of market share in August, followed by FireFox with 22.98%; Safari, 4.07%; Chrome OS, 2.84%; Opera, 2.04%; and Netscape, 0.49%, according to Net Applications.

Not that Google needs help gaining search engine market share, but with Yahoo making good on a promise to improve its engine's user interface, and Microsoft supporting the backend, it could close the gap that much more.

Could Sony's deal influence the search engine wars? Aaron Goldman, founder and managing partner at Connectual, says "Yes, absolutely."

If Chrome is the default browser, Google will likely become the person's default search engine, according to Goldman. "The address bar and search bar are integrated, so as you type Google gives you options for URL and search queries based on past searches," he says. "That sort of browsing experience, which integrates search and direct navigation, only leads to more queries."

The deal should stimulate more queries, via Google, and that's how the search engine can afford to offer another free product, Goldman says. "Every product Google puts out stimulates more queries," he says. "And Google knows, because of its market share, every query performed puts dollars in its pocket."

Matt Rosoff, analyst for Directions at Microsoft, disagrees. He doesn't expect the browser deal to have an impact on consumers' choice of search engine. Microsoft has made it easy for consumers to set Google as the default search engine, which hasn't changed anything in the browser wars, he says. "The only reason Microsoft struggles with search engine market share is because they haven't had a brand for a long time," he says.

Overall, analysts are mixed about how the default browser will impact the consumer's choice of search engine.

It's tough to say, according to Gabelli & Co. Analyst Robert Haley. "If someone boots up with one browser vs. another they like, it's not clear if they will stick with it, but getting people to at least try it can be positive," he says. "The Google brand is pretty well established and people can get used to working with one brand for search. It takes a lot to get them to switch, but if they feel more comfortable with FireFox or IE, they will take the time to download and install that one."

Analysts are convinced Google's deal with Sony by itself will not likely change Microsoft's dominate position for its Web browser, but it does open the door to other manufacturers to follow suit and sign on and ship a variety of products with Google Chrome OS.

Some analysts believe that Google Chrome OS could gain market share if Sony ships PCs and laptops as the default Web browser, and hides Internet Explorer somewhere on the machine.

Rosoff says Google is the largest funder of Mozilla, and they could push Chrome and likely grow market share at the expense of Firefox. Overall, Google is a well-funded company with many reasons for continuing to develop and promote Chrome OS, but it probably won't make much of a difference, he says.

"As long as Internet Explorer remains on the desktop, people familiar with the browser and who just want to turn on a computer and get to the Internet will most likely stick with IE," Rosoff says. "If it's the only browser on the desktop that's a different situation, but it will likely not have an impact on its own."

1 comment about "Will Google's Sony Chrome OS Deal Influence Search?".
Check to receive email when comments are posted.
  1. Aj Sedlak from Thermo Fisher Scientific, September 2, 2009 at 9:11 a.m.

    The Chrome browser and the Chrome Operating System are two different things.

Next story loading loading..