Filed under: Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT)
Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) might be working on an arrangement to put its Android handset operating system into Personal computers. The move wouldn’t be helpful to Microsoft (NASDAQ;MSFT). According to Bloomberg, “Asustek Personal Inc., which pioneered the market for sub-$500 laptops, may install Google Inc.’s free Android operating system on its low-cost notebooks, challenging the dominance of Microsoft Corp.’s Windows software.”
It is hard to see it as a challenge. Netbooks run OSs from other software development sources like Linux. Most buyers of the small machines have to upgrade to the more useful and robust version of Windows if they want its full functions of Word, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and multimedia capacity.
The problem Android creates for Microsoft is long-term. If engineers can create applications that do mirror what Window does on the Personal computer, Redmond has a problem. But that development process could take years and could run into patent problems because of key IP rights that Microsoft has set up over the last two decades.
A Google-powered Personal computer might cause trouble for Microsoft, but that’s years away.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 24/7 Wall St.
Google’s (GOOG) next challenge to Microsoft (MSFT) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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