Within a roughly 48-hour period, Google got two big helpings of bad news. According to the Canadian newspaper Financial Post, the country's Competition Bureau is preparing to launch a formal antitrust investigation into Google's Canadian business operations. The scope and precise focus of the Canadian investigation have not been revealed. Google has a nearly 90 percent search market share in Canada according to StatCounter. Bing and Yahoo combine for less than 10 percent of the market. The other shoe comes from across the Atlantic where a former UK Google employee, Barney Jones, now has [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: Legal

You're not supposed to see this video. Unless you work at Microsoft. It's a fake Chrome ad that's part of Microsoft's ongoing "Scroogled" campaign against Google, but it was supposed to remain internal. It appeared first on a blog called iCosmoGeek and has now been picked up by the Los Angeles Times. The Times says it has confirmation from Microsoft that the video was made for internal purposes. The video plays up many of the same charges that Microsoft has been making throughout the Scroogled campaign -- tracking users to target ads, not respecting users' privacy and so forth. He [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Critics | Microsoft | Microsoft: Business Issues | Top News

Microsoft and Google are involved in a battle over the YouTube app for Windows Phones, and Microsoft has followed a cease-and-desist letter from Google by questioning Google's commitment to interoperability and working together. As The Verge reported today, Google sent Microsoft a cease-and-desist letter demanding that Microsoft remove the YouTube app from its Windows Phone Store because Microsoft's version of the app doesn't include Google's ads. Microsoft has responded today in a statement shared with Marketing Land that says Google hasn't given Microsoft access to the necessary APIs t [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: YouTube | Legal: General | Microsoft | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Windows Phone | Top News

At the Google I/O keynote this morning, Google announced that Google Play had seen 48 billion app downloads. This was on the heels of the announcement that there were 900 million Android device activations since inception. Later in the day at roughly 5 pm US Eastern time, Apple said that its App Store saw its 50 billionth app download. This had been long anticipated. And, it's quite a milestone. However, Google partly stole Apple's thunder with its own announcement of nearly the same number of downloads earlier in the day. This afternoon, the following image appeared on Apple's homepage: [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Apple: iOS | Apple: iPhone | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues

[caption id="attachment_43692" align="alignright" width="300"] Eric Schmidt & Jared Cohen[/caption] Whereas the Google of old might just throw products "over the wall" and not think much about their real world impacts, the Google of today has much more respect for what its digital products might do in the real world, says Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt. That's one reason why Google Glass is in a long and limited distribution process, he gave as an example. Schmidt was at Google Los Angeles last week, speaking to an audience of Google employees and outside guests from the area [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Business Issues | Google: Glass | Google: Privacy | Top News

In a new series of ads, Microsoft is trying to cast doubt on the reliability and productivity of Google Docs. The spots featuring Saturday Night Live alum Rob Schneider (and in one case, retired baseball great Pete Rose) argue that Google Docs is too much of a "risk" and "not worth the gamble." Of the two ads posted below, the basketball-themed spot is much better, although still heavy handed. In a blog post Microsoft compares the experience of opening an Office doc in a Microsoft web app vs. on Google Docs. The company argues that Google Docs creates uncertainty and unpredictabi [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Business Issues | Google: Google Drive | Microsoft | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Outlook

Google's prompt closing of Google Reader earlier this year led many users to wonder what products will end up on the chopping block next. Thanks to a study conducted by www.gwern.net predicting Google shut-downs, Ars Technica reports that of all Google products offered over the years, only 35 percent have been terminated. After analyzing data collected on 350 Google products to identify predictive variables, the 35 percent that were shut-down appear to have four similar characteristics: they were not part of an acquisition, they did not generate revenue, they were not related to social netw [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics

The consensus view is that Google bought Motorola Mobility in late 2011 for its patent portfolio. The company spent $12.5 billion, Google's largest acquisition by far and a major bet by Larry Page. During the acquisition approval process Google said that it would treat Motorola the same way it treated any other Android OEM and keep the division at arms length, giving it no special access or Android favors. Yet, Motorola has continued to lose market share and revenues. Last week, Google said that its Motorola division lost $271 million and revenues declined from $1.51 billion in Q4 to $1.02 [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Acquisitions | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Mobile | Mobile Marketing | Top News

Along with co-author and foreign policy expert Jared Cohen, Google Executive Chairman is doing the rounds on radio and TV in support of their new book The New Digital Age. This evening, both were interviewed on NPR's All Things Considered program. I don't have an advance copy of the book and haven't read it. But, the interview made me curious. If it's any indication, there's considerable time spent on the darker political and social implications of the Internet and the way it may play out differently in various parts of the world. Schmidt and Cohen appear to have a very balanced -- one m [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Business Issues | Google: Privacy | Politics | Top News

APR reports Google has been approved in a 10 - 1 vote by the San Jose City Council to lease a private airport terminal for $82 million on the west side of Mineta San Jose International Airport. The agreement is with Signature Flight Services. The only person who voted no was Pierluigi Oliverio who said this would disturb citizens with more flights and is not the best way to raise money for the airport. This will not only make air travel much more convenient for Google, it will bring in $3 million a year in rent for the airport and more airport jobs. Not everyone is happy about thi [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: International

Google announced it is retiring their Affiliate Network to focus on other products. According to a statement on the Google Affiliate Network blog, the company stated that it will continue to support customers as they "wind down" the product over the next few months. Indirectly blaming the rapid evolution of CPA marketing and their investment in other CPA tools like Product Listing Ads (PLAs), remarketing and Conversion Optimizer, Google emphasized their commitment to products that will have the biggest impact for advertisers and publishers. In response to retiring the Affiliate ad progra [...]

Related Topics: Affiliate Marketing | Channel: Content Marketing | Google: AdSense | Google: Business Issues

In the original Star Trek series episode called "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield," two nearly identical aliens, inflamed by mutual hatred, beam down to their decimated planet to continue their fight, seemingly for eternity. That might also be a way to describe the Apple-Android global litigation: it goes on and on, seemingly forever. A frustrated federal judge in Florida has publicly attacked both Apple and, in this case, Motorola (Google) for being unwilling to voluntarily streamline and simplify their case or engage in sincere settlement talks. According to Bloomberg, exasperated US  [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Apple: iPhone | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Legal | Legal | Legal: Patents | Top News

Anti-Google lobbying group FairSearch lobbed an antitrust grenade at Google's Android operating system yesterday, complaining to the European Union that it violates competition laws. Unfortunately, this week's release of the HTC First -- the "Facebook Phone" -- may cause the grenade to bounce back at FairSearch. The FairSearch Complaint We covered FairSearch's complaint earlier, that Android is a "Trojan Horse" product that forces makers to include Google products. Actually, what we covered earlier was FairSearch's statement about the complaint. It hasn't released the actual complain [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Facebook: Home | Features & Analysis | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Top News

'Tis the season of mobile advertising forecasts. Within the last week three have been released from eMarketer, BIA/Kelsey and now IDC. Emarketer said that US mobile advertising was worth $4.1 billion in 2012, BIA estimated $3.2 billion and IDC now asserts that US mobile ad revenues came in at $4.5 billion for the year. IDC expects mobile advertising to reach $7 billion by year end, compared with eMarketer's $7.29 billion and BIA's $5.39 billion. The IDC forecast also says the following about 2012 mobile ad revenues: Search: 61 percent of mobile ad spending  ($2.8 billion) Display: [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Facebook | Facebook: Advertising | Facebook: Business Issues | Facebook: Mobile | Google: Business Issues | Google: Mobile | Mobile Marketing | Statistics | Statistics: Market Share | Statistics: Mobile Marketing | Statistics: Spend Projections | Top News | Twitter: Advertising | Twitter: Business Issues | Twitter: Mobile

Yesterday, the Fairsearch.org coalition, now featuring Oracle and Nokia, filed a fresh antitrust complaint in Europe against Google. The complaint focuses on Android and calls the operating system a "'Trojan Horse' to deceive partners, monopolize the mobile marketplace and control consumer data." Fairsearch cites data showing that Android dominates the smartphone market in Europe to the tune of a roughly 70 percent market share. It also cites Google's dominance of the mobile search market (96 percent share). However, StatCounter shows a smaller OS share for Android in Europe (46 percent vs [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Legal | Google: Mobile | Legal | Legal: Antitrust | Top News

According to Reuters, a judge on the US International Trade Commission (ITC)  has affirmed that Samsung infringed an Apple patent involving "text selection" (copy, cut, paste). The ITC is a "quasi-judicial federal agency" that reviews patent and trade-related disputes. The decision above is not final and must be reviewed by the full ITC body. Apple originally filed seven infringement complaints against Samsung in 2011. Last October another individual ITC judge held that Samsung infringed four of the seven Apple patents. The full ITC asked that two of those four claims be re-examined mor [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Apple: iOS | Apple: iPhone | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Legal | Top News

By some measures, e-commerce is doing very well. This past year, US retail e-commerce hit $186.2 billion, according to comScore. The firm added that Q4 was the first $50 billion quarter, which was also the "ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth." However, things are not all smiles and good cheer in e-commerce land. Relatively soon, sales tax for online purchases will be commonplace (as it now is in California), removing one of e-commerce's key advantages over traditional retail. Taxes are coming because e-commerce is now perceived as relatively stable, strong and mature (no l [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Retail | E-Commerce | Google: Business Issues | Google: Partnerships | Google: Shopping | Google: Wallet

For the first time in several years, Yahoo saw their net US ad revenue grow in 2012, reaching $3.18 billion. eMarketer forecasts this upward swing to continue, with Yahoo's net US ad revenues climbing to $3.28 billion by the end of the 2013. According to a report released by eMarketer, the forecasted 2013 numbers are based on Yahoo's Q4 search revenues coming in far higher than expected. With the continued management restructuring and investments at Yahoo, eMarketer estimates the company's net US search ad revenues to reach $1.23 billion this year, a seven percent climb from 2012. eMarke [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Business Issues | Google: Display Advertising | Yahoo | Yahoo: Business Issues | Yahoo: News

What did Andy Rubin do the day it was announced he was moving on from Android to a "new chapter" at Google? He made a nostalgic post not on Twitter, not on Google+ but rather on Facebook, where he's suddenly been busy. I know Rubin has had his Facebook account for at least several months, if not longer, because I've followed him there for some time. He just wasn't active. That all changed on March 5, about a week before the news of his shift away from Android was announced. On that day, he updated his profile picture: That same day, he also added information to his Facebook Timeli [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Top News

Google's early fantasy about mobile was that apps would eventually lose favor in favor of HTML5 and the browser. This is consistent with Google's outlook and competitive history vs. Microsoft and Apple: the Internet and the cloud vs. proprietary operating systems and software. Yet, to date, apps have largely won out over the mobile Web. According to Nielsen, US mobile users spend just under 80 percent of their time with mobile apps vs. the mobile Web. And, comScore has said that "four out of five" mobile minutes (roughly the same amount) are spent in mobile apps. Last week, we discovered [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Mobile