米Microsoftのライバルはあくまで"Google"

米Microsoftの検索市場での戦略に関するコメントは、常にGoogleを意識し、念頭においたものとなっている一方で、Yahoo!のことは全く触れられません。これはいつもそうです。”検索”というマーケットで捉えるとやはりGoogleが脅威なのですね。

Notably, Mehdi said that many of MSN's users left for other search engines, like Google. Mehdi did not mention Yahoo (YHOO) as a competitor. Earlier in the day, Microsoft's chairman, Bill Gates, also mentioned Google, as well as Apple Computer (APPL), Nokia (NOK) and Sony (SNE) as competitors in the consumer sector. But Gates didn't mention Yahoo. As MSN takes a page out of Google's how-to-build-an-inviting-search-Web site, it also plans to add other features it feels will bring back its users. [Microsoft's MSN unveils new search projects / Investors.com]

"There's a lot of Google fascination out there and we share it, and we're going to compete," Ballmer said with characteristic bluster. "We're going to compete very, very hard." [CRN / Ballmer to Google: 'We Will Compete']

In his address to the Microsoft financial analysts meeting this week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer talked about Google and how his company would compete with, and not beat up, the competition. "There's a lot of Google fascination out there and we share it, and we're going to compete," he said. "We're going to compete very, very hard." Ballmer said his biggest problem with Google was that Microsoft didn't get there first. "You always want to be first in the marketplace," he added. "We don't want to be a fast follower. If we're not first, we'll be a fast follower, but we really want to be first." [WinInfo Short Takes: Week of August 2 / WinInfo]