While everyone is still talking about the failure of the Google – Yahoo! paid search deal, Microsoft seems to be quietly moving in for the kill. They are currently trying to seal a deal with Verizon Wireless.
It is open knowledge that Google has been in talks with Verizon for the same deal. Google wants Verizon to make Google the default search provider on all their mobile handsets.
Microsoft is probably making use of Google’s inattentiveness here – due to their recent preoccupation with the debacle of advertising on Yahoo! – and is trying to woo Verizon away from Google. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Microsoft is offering much better terms to Verizon, by way of a higher percentage share of revenue and also a guarantee of considerably higher payments to Verizon.
According to the Wall Street Journal, if Microsoft succeeds in this attempt, it will not only compensate them to some extent for their failure to acquire Yahoo! earlier in the year, but will also help them to fight the search giant Google to some extent.
Verizon wireless, which is currently the second largest wireless carrier in The U.S.A, is of course taking its time to come to a conclusion as to whom they wish to tie up with, and will no doubt make the most of this opportunity.
