Google’s Cyber Cafe Strategy With Chrome: All Out War Against Microsoft?

At times the public perception of Google’s strategy for Chrome feels like they are “releasing a balloon to the wind”, in other words, they put it out there, let if float and see where it goes.

Neeraj Saxena in the InfoTech section of “India Times” tells of a different and more calculated strategy described by Sundar Pichai, Google’s vice-president for product development and in charge of Chrome development.

India Times printed the following about Google’s strategy with Chrome:

“Google will now go all out in a war against Microsoft’s Internet Explorer by sewing up distribution agreements for its browser Chrome beta with cyber cafe owners in countries like India to take on Microsoft’s OEM bundling strength”.

Note: This statement was attributed to Sundar Pichai, but didn’t show it as a direct quote.

I added the “Note” above because while the strategy of sewing up distributions agreements by Google is a smart move, the term “all out in a war against Microsoft” isn’t phrasing you’d normally see attributed directly to a Google spokesperson.

Sundar was however quoted in this description of Google’s strategy:

“While it is true that many Internet users stick to the bundled browsers, we will be banking upon alternative distribution strategy. The fact that Chrome is really light at 7MB download, is clutter-free and loads up websites very fast is an advantage that Google would be banking upon”.

Alternative distribution strategies for the browser that is. Of course having an alternative browser also gives alternative distribution for ads too.

It continues to be true that Google has more in mind than most people realize.

Neeraj’s full article in the InfoTech section of the India Times is here.