By Just a few short weeks ago, Google was putting the finishing touches on a deal with Verizon that would make their search engine the default on all mobile phones the carrier would… carry. But following up on a failed Google-Yahoo search partnership, Microsoft is on the brink of stealing the Verizon Mobile search deal right from under Google’s feet.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Microsoft is offering Verizon a greater guaranteed figure from the search deal, where the search engine and wireless company would share revenue generated from mobile search with Verizon devices.
We know that Verizon and Google have had their differences before and the Big Red hasn’t been exactly been Big Easy when it comes to opening up to Android. In fact, they seem the most reluctant of all carriers and have even got into heated spats with the search engine giant regarding the spectrum auction and FCC regulation of acquired spectrum.
As far as I’m concerned, Verizon taking a little more money to put an inferior product on its phone by default is a classic mistake. I won’t pretend to know any of the terms or figures of the deal – because I don’t – but there is a lot at stake. Verizon doesn’t seem eager to do Google any favors as the Big G just ran up on the wireless industry and tried to claim Home Field.
So will Verizon go with Google or Microsoft? Will they do it based on money only or are there other dynamics in play here?
[Via WSJ]
Let them go. Does this force the users of the phones to use MS search. If not I almost guarantee they will “Google” stuff anyway. All I can say is that unless MS is going to provide an OS competitive to the IPhone carriers better grab on to Android and start customizing.
Verizon is run by idiots. Let’s see, reject the best search engine and the best online ad system in the world for that powerhouse in online services, Microsoft. That’s the best way to serve your customers. And does Verizon Wireless CEO McAdam really think that getting a higher percentage of lame Microsoft ads is better than a lower percentage of highly successful Google ads?
Windows Live search results still are never as good as Google’s. I tried using Live Search for a while and ended up much too frustrated.
If Verizon didn’t have such a good service area I would have dumped them long ago, but around here they are the only ones that give reliable service. Every other aspect of them is either just as bad as or worse than other cellular providers. They definitely are run by morons…
I’m sure they will take the MS deal. If MS bid an extra dollar Verizon would grab it up with all the zeal of a child seeking a shiny penny in a parking lot.
Verizon doesn’t care about it’s customers, they just care about filling their pockets.
I’ve been a long time Verizon customer and I’ve just about had it with them spitting out inferior products and services just because their network is the best. They generally carry the worst (least cutting edge) devices and I want a phone that’s tailored to google applications because thats what I use the most. An android phone would be optimal for me but I’m going to have to leave verizon if I want to get it.. but of course I’d be sacraficing the network, and they know it. How come they aren’t smart enough to realize that taking smaller advertising cuts would provide greater returns in having even more web enabled, revenue producing handsets out there is optimal. They would further crush the competition. Same thing happened with the iPhone. Apple wanted Verizon but the big red was too stingy about the terms. So sick of it. Hope someone from Verizon reads this thread.
Well, we are leaving Verizon and moving to t-mobile and the gPhone.
Yeah ditto for me… Verizon is the only carrier that works reliably in my condo, but if they haven’t released an Android phone by the time my contract is up (sometime in December) then I am out!
lol Love to see big old over bloated companies get gutted like fish but in slow motion.