Mozilla Builds a Special Bing'ed Firefox For Microsoft

News
By Wolfgang Gruener
published

Microsoft has begun offering a customized version of Firefox for download.

This new Firefox features Bing as its default search engine instead of Google. According to Mozilla, the browser is an extension of the "partnership" the company announced with Microsoft in 2010.

For Mozilla, the "Firefox with Bing" browser is certainly a good idea, as it is an opportunity to diversify its revenue and become at least a bit more independent of Google's search revenues. However, from Microsoft's perspective, this is a remarkable move because it is featuring the Firefox download from its own website. However, in its battle against Google, Microsoft may have concluded that a partnership with Mozilla cannot do much damage at this point, and may even help its Bing unit to divert some advertising revenues from Google toward Bing.

StatCounter market share data indicates that Firefox will post its ninth consecutive month of market share loss for October and end the period with about 26.4 percent share. IE also suffered heavy losses this month, despite a newly launched marketing campaign, and cross the finish line with about 40.2 percent. Google has picked up more than 1.3 points of share and will be listed with a share of about 24.9 percent. If the current trend continues, Mozilla will lose its position as second most popular browser in November. In South America, Chrome has become the dominating browser with daily market shares in excess of 40 percent this month, according to StatCounter.

Teaming up with Mozilla may be a good idea for Microsoft at this point, as every other strategy to fend off Chrome has failed so far. If Microsoft keeps losing market share at the current pace and if Chrome keeps gaining share at the same time, Google may surpass IE share as early as June 2012.

Wolfgang Gruener
38 Comments Comment from the forums
  • jhansonxi
    Maybe M$ should base future IE releases on Firefox or integrate features from some of the Trident engine-based browsers.
    Reply
  • julianbautista87
    I think apple will sue this move shortly.
    Reply
  • livebriand
    jhansonxiMaybe M$ should base future IE releases on Firefox or integrate features from some of the Trident engine-based browsers.Not a bad idea. IE sucks, and lots of people I know, even ones that don't know a ton about computers, use Firefox.
    Reply
  • microsoft and mozilla should work together to beat google chrome
    Reply
  • 11796pcs
    As I've been saying, the amount of time and effort Microsoft put into IE9 shows that they actually care about making a good browser. I think the "IE sucks" mentality should be re-evaluated. Remember that IE9 did win in a Browser Grand Prix when it first came out. Hopefully Microsoft can make lots of good improvements in IE10 to catch up with Chrome's speed and features. I do not think that the release cycles that Chrome has are a good idea though. You saw Mozilla try and fail with this concept. You should take your time on making a solid browser instead of just rushing everything out the door with no quality assurance.
    Reply
  • brothermist
    I dont really know jack about computers, but I know I cant use IE due to how badly it eats ass. And depending on what OS your on, it may not even be available in the form of IE9. I also cant stand firefox, too many pages/pics/videos dont display properly and far too many bugs and crashes. Crashes every time I use it without fail. I've tried Safari and Opera... and just dont like them at all. So I'm forced to use Chrome. So far from my experience, again I dont know jack about computers, Chrome seems to be easiest to use, the least buggy, and the fastest.
    Reply
  • brothermist
    11796pcsAs I've been saying, the amount of time and effort Microsoft put into IE9 shows that they actually care about making a good browser. I think the "IE sucks" mentality should be re-evaluated. Remember that IE9 did win in a Browser Grand Prix when it first came out. Hopefully Microsoft can make lots of good improvements in IE10 to catch up with Chrome's speed and features.
    Its lack of support of its own OS's shows me that Microsoft really wants to sell Windows 7. Its funny how all other browsers can be backwards compatible to Microsofts OS's, but Microsofts own browser cant. I run XP on my desktop. Yes my desktop needs an update, but I shouldnt be forced into buying a new OS to get the benefits of the newer IE. IE 8 is garbage, I cant use IE9 because Microsoft wants me to buy Windows 7, yet any other browser will out perform IE 8 on XP. You think the "IE sucks" mentality should be re-evaluated, I think IE sucks due to its performance across more than 1 platform. Funny how the other browsers seem to be handing Microsofts IE its ass on Microsofts own OS's. I'd say that kind of justifies the "IE sucks" mentality. Also, in my book, even without rushing things out the door, IE failed to even enter the game on IE9 on the majority of its own OS users, as there are still more people using XP than Windows 7.
    Reply
  • release a new browser every 6 months for firefox instead of every 6 weeks.
    Reply
  • alidan
    i really wish anti trust suits would be filed against microsoft.

    i mean i would pay for a version of dx 10 or 11 for xp, and you all know they could do it, hell id pay 50$ for it which is about 20$ more than i payed for windows 7 on my little brothers computer.

    that said, will this browser also be tied to 7 only?
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    Uniting against a common foe in the guise of Google. Good decision, but perhaps MS can provide some funding for Mozilla to gather skilled programmers and write a browser that won't hog 1GB of RAM for 2 tabs.
    Reply