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Google’s dominance in Web search is growing and may grow even more thanks to a change in underlying technology it uses to present search results. So much for Steve Ballmer’s ambitions for Microsoft.
Google had a 63.7 percent share of the 14.3 billion U.S. searches in March, up 0.4 percentage points from February, and above the 63.5 percent level that was its previous high. Meanwhile, Yahoo saw its U.S. search share inch downward in March to 20.5 percent, from 20.6 percent in February. I suppose we need to mention that Microsoft’s share of the U.S. search market increased by one-tenth of a percentage point, to 8.3 percent in March.
Whoop-dee-doo.
My colleague Joe Wilcox thinks the glass is half full for Microsoft because it had a greater increase in the number of search queries than Google, or anyone else for that matter.
Yes, Microsoft got 11 percent more search queries than in February, while Google got “only” 10 percent more — but look at the base. Microsoft went from 1 billion to 1.2 billion queries, whereas Google went from 8.3 billion to 9.1 billion search queries. Geez Louise, since when is 800 million queries (Google’s net gain) less than 200 million queries?
The reality is that Google is whupping Microsoft up one side and down the other, and the beating only promises to get worse. Google is testing a new way to present search results that uses the JavaScript programming language and the related AJAX interface technology, not just regular HTML, to display the information. Google spokesman Eitan Bencuya explained to CNET’s Steve Shankland that the change could shave milliseconds off response times, and Google has found that even minute improvements in that speed encourages people to search more often.
Looks like Google still can’t innovate in search to save its life, right Mr. Ballmer?
Google is reporting first-quarter financials later today.