Google Vs Microsoft: The 90s browser war has started again, who will win the battle between Google and Microsoft?

In the late 90s, when Microsoft was accused of forcefully promoting its Internet Explorer, the company lost a major antitrust case. After years of improving its image, Microsoft is once again at the center of the browser war. However, this time the contest is different.

Under the leadership of CEO Satya Nadella and with an aggressive AI strategy, Microsoft has once again strengthened its hold in the tech industry. And now Google is in the dock, and this time the roles are reversed.

Google is creating pressure through an alliance
Google is supporting a group called Browser Choice Alliance (BCA), which includes Opera, Vivaldi, and several smaller browser developers. Its purpose is to pressure Microsoft to stop its alleged unfair strategies of promoting the Edge browser through Windows.

BCA claims that Microsoft is integrating the AI-powered Copilot assistant directly into Edge, which offers features ranging from tab management to task automation. Along with this, they allege that the company is using "dark patterns", such as showing warning messages when downloading a competing browser or making Edge the default after a system reset.

Google Search is being affected in the era of AI.

Google is its biggest financial supporter, as the popularity of the browser directly affects Google's hold in the search market. Because of this, efforts to establish Edge as the "AI browser" in the battle of AI on desktops and laptops have intensified.

If we look at the figures, Google's hold on the search market is weakening. According to a report by StatCounter, Google's search market share went below 90% for the first time in the last quarter of 2024 after 2015. Google's market share was 89.73% in December 2024. A major reason for this is said to be the increasing search engine competition in the field of AI.

Regulatory pressure is increasing.

In Europe, BCA has filed a complaint against Microsoft, alleging that the company is trying to avoid new competition rules. In Brazil, Opera has filed a formal complaint that Microsoft is harassing users who want to change browsers.

This new chapter of the browser war not only shows the competition between technology companies, but also highlights the battle for user choice and control in the era of AI.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.