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Ballmer: we could beat Google

By Hani Megerisi

Posted on 3 Mar 2010 at 12:44

Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer claims that Bing could surpass Google - but it will take time and a lot of work.

“The number one thing that Google benefits from in search is that they did it right, first,” said Ballmer, speaking at this week's Search Marketing Expo Conference in California.

I think a fair degree of realism is required about where the current state of affairs is… we got a lot of work to do… Can we do it? Yes we can

“We’re very focused on our long-term goals. There is opportunity for a number of game changers and one of the things we have decided is really important is to be in the game and having a positive momentum and making real progress with a differentiated point of view. We’ll get there.”

When asked if Bing could one day overtake Google, Ballmer replied: “I think a fair degree of realism is required about where the current state of affairs is... we got a lot of work to do... Can we do it? Yes we can.”

Ballmer also highlighted several areas where Bing was looking to grow, including mobile and social networking. “We think there’s a lot of innovation [possible] on the business side,” he added.

Microsoft and Google have increasingly come into direct competition over the past few years, with Bing’s launch into the search engine market and Google’s Chrome browser and Chrome OS taking on the established might of IE and Windows.

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User comments

Bob

He's been watching too much Bob The Builder I think!

By Steve_Adey on 3 Mar 2010

'Microsoft and Google have increasingly come into direct competition over the past few years, with Bing’s launch into the search engine market'

I think Microsoft have been in the Search Engine market since Google have. MSN Search started back in '98

By TimoGunt on 3 Mar 2010

"time and a lot of work" = bribery and muscle

At present it would seem Microsoft are buying eyes through paying unsustainable incentives. Google got to #1 by being clever and innovative which is a model Microsoft can't compete with.
I'm waiting for the Microsoft / News Corp "lets do monopolies together" tie-up.

PS The Bing content is the most infuriating aspect of the PC Pro website!

By milliganp on 3 Mar 2010

Strategy?

Microsoft seem to have so many disparate and unrelated teams working in silos, you do wonder if they would benefit from spinning off some of them and refocusing on a few core sectors rather than being an IT conglomerate that seems to do a bit of everything, some things well but a lot of things middle of the road.

They seem to have some macho culture where they need to compete in every segment of every market. They just don't seem to have a focus.

By Phoomeister on 4 Mar 2010

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