Google launches internet browser

Silicon Valley was buzzing with two explanations for the latest eye-catching twist in the technology industry's most prominent battle: Google's decision to launch its own web browser in competition with Microsoft's dominant Internet Explorer.

One version held that this was a defensive move designed to prevent Microsoft from siphoning away Google's audience.

The other interpretation, however, suggested something far more ambitious: that this was the latest element in an attack on Microsoft's core desktop software business that could eventually pose a threat to the Windows monopoly itself.

Google, not surprisingly, ducked any suggestion that it was primarily motivated by concerns about its arch-rival as it unveiled Chrome, an open source browser that it released on Tuesday in more than 100 countries.

According to Google, this was simply an attempt to stimulate more technological innovation in browsers. "Everything we do is running on the Web platform," said co-founder Larry Page. "It's very important to us that that works well."

The rest of the tech world was having none of it.

Proponents of the defensive interpretation warned that Microsoft has a track record of trying to use its IE browser to hurt rivals. IE7, released two years ago, was initially designed to include a box taking users directly to Microsoft's own search engine. IE8, a test version of which was released last week, includes a feature that could hamper Google's attempt to build a display advertising business - though that could also hurt others, including Microsoft itself.

"This will always be a threat for Google," said Sandeep Aggarwal, an analyst at Collins Stewart, so it made sense for Google to come up with a browser of its own.

However, Google has succeeded in countering Microsoft up to now without resorting to creating its own browser. Through a concerted campaign with regulators it managed to prevent Microsoft from gaining unfair advantage with IE7. Also, Google has secured guaranteed distribution of its own through deals with Dell and other PC makers to carry its Toolbar, a browser plug-in that guides users to Google services.

If the launch of Chrome was not primarily defensive, then how aggressively has Google moved against Microsoft? "It would be wrong to see this as a browser, it is very much an operating system," said Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Land and a long-time Google watcher.

According to this view, Chrome is a vital ingredient in an expanding range of Google desktop software. These include, for instance, controlling how an application is rendered on a user's PC, or managing multiple browser windows at once - both features that Google played heavily on in promoting Chrome's underlying technology.

Eventually, said Mr Sullivan, it will become irrelevant to a computer users which operating system is running on the machine - an obvious threat to Windows.

Google executives played down this suggestion. "I would not call Chrome the operating system of Web apps," said Sergey Brin, co-founder. "I think it is a very basic, fast engine to run Web apps."

That distintinction, though, may turn out to be merely semantic as the browser 'engine' takes on a more important role in supporting the newer and more complex online applications that Google said would become possible.

If so, this fits with a gradual encroachment that has seen Google move onto Microsoft's turf. In its early years, Eric Schmidt, Google's chief executive, said that the company did not need its own browser, and did not plan to challenge Microsoft with its own online versions as internet applications did not provide as good an experience as desktop software.

That changed two years ago, when Google moved into online applications. The move was possible, Mr Schmidt said, because browsers evolved faster than he had expected. It is now the next phase in this battle, as Google turns its attention back to the browser, and Microsoft's most important software stronghold.

www.ft.com | Richard Waters | 2008-09-03