The world’s most popular online search engine, Google, lost an immaterial amount of market share in February 2011 over the previous month, according to a new report published by the research firm HitWise.
The decline in Google market share was the result of a marginal gain in the combined market share of top rivals, Microsoft and Yahoo.
Both Microsoft and Yahoo gained 3.79-percent in total market share, with Google’s 67.95-percent January 2011 market share dipping down to 66.69-percent in February 2011.
Microsoft’s Bing search engine gained 5-percent market share in February 2011 to 12.81-percent, with Yahoo gaining only 3-percent to 14.99-percent, over the previous month.
The news comes as the browser wars begin to intensify, as market participants ready the release of updated versions of their respective web browsers.
Microsoft will launch the latest version of its Internet browser, Internet Explorer 9, on March 14. The new version will include full HTML5 support, improved performance and security, new W3C geo-location support, and support for new Bing search features, which could further increase Microsoft’s share in the online search market.
Google already released Chrome version 10, which seems to be the most secure browser, as programmers were not able to penetrate the security of the browser for a $25,000 reward during a Google sponsored hackers conference.
Source: HitWise
This article: Microsoft, Yahoo Chipped Away at Google’s Search Market Share in February is from Business 2.0 Press. Republication without express consent is strictly prohibited. © 2011 Business 2.0 Press. All Rights Reserved.
