25 February 2009 | Author: Yasmin Sulaiman

Google wades in on EU antitrust case against Microsoft

As if launching Chrome, Google Apps and Android weren't enough, it looks like Google is about to stick it to Microsoft again by wading into its antitrust dispute with the EU. According to a recent post on Google's Public Policy Blog, Mountain View is currently applying to become a third party in the European Commission's case against the software king in order to defend 'user choice' and add 'perspective' to the proceedings.

Microsoft already has a history of getting on the wrong side of the EU: in 2007, it was fined €497 million and was levied another €899 million last year for anti-competitive practises. The latest dispute refers to the company's tying of its Internet Explorer browser to its Windows operating system. Last month, the Commission came to the preliminary conclusion that this practise "harms competition between web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice."

Sundar Pichai, Vice President of Product Management at Google, said that the firm was applying to be a third party in the proceedings for three reasons: firstly, that "browsers are critical to the internet"' secondly, "Google believes that the browser market is still largely uncompetitive"; and finally, because "we believe we can contribute to this debate". According to Google, its unique perspective - gleaned since launching its own browser, Chrome, in September last year - could help the Commission determine "remedies to improve the user experience and offer consumers real choice".

For those au fait on the various thrusts and parries between Google and Microsoft over the last few years, it's easy to detect unspoken motives beneath Mountain View's rhetoric of wanting to stimulate debate over the browser market for the greater good of consumers. When Google bought DoubleClick back in 2007, for instance, Microsoft was among those leading the call that a union between the two companies would be fundamentally anti-competitive. Though this buyout was eventually approved, the software firm played a similar role again last year when Google and Yahoo! agreed a paid search deal that was eventually dropped as Google wanted to avoid a prolonged legal battle.

What's more, any setback to Internet Explorer is likely to benefit Google's Chrome browser immensely. For years, IE has been the dominant internet browser worldwide - but even before the Commission makes its decision on Microsoft's alleged anti-competitive practises, it seems as though increased competition in the browser market has already started eating into its lead. Statistics from Net Applications show that in January 2008, IE accounted for over 75 per cent of browser market share, with Firefox and Safari trailing at 17 per cent and six per cent respectively. Fast forward to January 2009 and IE's share has dropped to 68 per cent, with Firefox at 22 per cent, Safari with eight per cent and new entrant Chrome with 1.12 per cent share.

Essentially, a ruling against Microsoft is certain to be a boon to Google Chrome, Firefox and IE's other competitive foes. But with a new Google toolbar release for IE just announced and Apple's new version of Safari launching, it seems that browsers can't afford to hold their breath in anticipation of a result that favours them - it looks like the browser wars are set to see a new flurry of battles on the desktop front.

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