Microsoft's IE7 Search Box Raises Google's Ire

The New York Times reports today on the issues Google is taking with the latest version of Microsoft's popular Internet Explorer web browser. Microsoft's upcoming IE7 release has a built in search box that defaults to the MSN search engine. Google has stated that they have expressed concerns over the search box to both the U.S. Justice Department and to the European Commission. To be honest, I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

From the article:

The new browser includes a search box in the upper-right corner that is typically set up to send users to Microsoft's MSN search service. Google contends that this puts Microsoft in a position to unfairly grab Web traffic and advertising dollars from its competitors.

The move, Google claims, limits consumer choice and is reminiscent of the tactics that got Microsoft into antitrust trouble in the late 1990's.

The irony of course is that both the Opera and Firefox browsers already come with integrated search boxes that default to the Google search engine. In fact, Google has even partnered with the Mozilla team to promote Firefox and offers site owners $1 for every Firefox download they can deliver.

That leaves me wondering if there are some sour grapes sitting in the fridge at the Googleplex.

Again, from the NY Times article:

"The market favors open choice for search, and companies should compete for users based on the quality of their search services," said Marissa Mayer, the vice president for search products at Google. "We don't think it's right for Microsoft to just set the default to MSN. We believe users should choose."

It makes me wonder if Mayer has also asked Firefox and Opera to change their default settings so that a user has to select a search engine before they can begin using it. After all IE7 users can manually set the search box to default to any search engine they want, much the way that Opera and Firefox users can change the settings on those browsers to an engine other than Google.

I can understand that Google's a bit concerned over the idea of a built-in search box, since IE still carries more than 75% of the browser market and since it's estimated that up to half of all searches are launched from a browser search box. That said, it seems a little hypocritical to find fault with a company that plans to make use of the exact same technology that your own company is already employing.

I suppose it's easy enough to say that the teams at Opera and Firefox made their own decisions about who to set as default, but is that really any different from the team at MSN making THEIR own choice? After all...it would make sense that MSN would believe that their own product was the best thing to offer their users...otherwise they wouldn't be putting for an offer at all.

I'll be really surprised if we see anything come of this, but I do wonder if Google isn't continuing to ski along the edge of that slippery slope that is public opinion.