14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft, Google and Yahoo are currently stuck in a three horse race over the dominant position on the search engine market. At this point in time, there is little doubt over the fact that Google is synonymous with Internet search, with Yahoo as runner-up and Microsoft in the traditional third place. Still, neither of the three is indicating any signs of weakness, and from the position of the underdog, Microsoft is the farthest of all from throwing down the towel.
Actually, it's just the opposite, since the Redmond company introduces Live Search as a new trajectory to its classic MSN search engine, from both the brand and the service perspective. And from that point back in 2005, Microsoft continually altered and evolved Windows Live in "search" of the perfect recipe to give it the edge on Google and Yahoo. And Live Search is but an aspect of the company's efforts.
On September 26, Microsoft prepares a very exclusive event, invitation only, dubbed Searchification. Speculations are already pointing to the possibility that Searchification will be nothing more than the unveiling of the next generation of the Live Search service. Microsoft failed to confirm this aspect, but the company did reveal plans to move Live Search into 2.0 in the fall of 2007, and in this context, the Searchification could serve as an opportune time to both showcase and launch Live Search 2.0.
One detail that points more than anything else to the introduction of Live Search 2.0 is the fact that Microsoft has already evolved Windows Live, with a collection of new betas and the unified installer for its suite of products and services.
Currently, the combined results of MSN and Live Search account for 12.3% of the market or 1.2 billion queries, according to statistics made available by comScore, and for a 13.6% share, or a little over 1 billion searches as the data from Nielsen//NetRatings indicates.