March 3, 2010
AT&T Ditches Google Search on Android in Favor of Yahoo!
A recent hands-on by Engadget’s Chris Zeigler found that all of the default Google search was taken out of the device and replaced with Yahoo search (which will use Bing soon enough). Let me repeat that; all Google search is taken out of AT&T’s Android device in favor of Yahoo search.
via androinica.com
First, this reeks of decision-making from the accountants at AT&T. They see that revenues need to climb, so they take logical actions:
- Kill Google's search and bring in Yahoo!'s search because Yahoo! is willing to split the mobile search profits with you.
- Bring in the Motoblur skin of the FREE Android OS to keep costs down and easily implement immediate social interaction within the device.
- Build an intriguing enough design that kids will think it's an upgrade from their Sidekick and buy it, not knowing that it's the cheapest "smartphone" AT&T has ever sold for enormous profits.
Second, this deal stinks for the AT&T customers because:
- Yahoo! search isn't as good as Google's search.
- With search built into every app and web-search is accessible from every location on the phone, a Yahoo! replacement is going to make for a slow and disconnected experience.
- It smells too strongly of corporate decision-making on a granular level.
It's a sad state for AT&T if the first Android phone they land doesn't even bring in the most intriguing aspect; amazing search capabilities baked in.
