Finally, in the confrontation between Google against Bing: Samsung would play it safe. Samsung, after considering exploring alternatives to Google for its Galaxy devices, ultimately decided against its longtime partner.
Looks like Samsung has come to its senses, deciding that it’s not so much fun to make Google your enemy after all. It’s as if the South Korean juggernaut played a dangerous game before realizing he was about to make a big mistake.
The urge to explore an alternative to Google on Galaxy devices seemed to stem from an overwhelming enthusiasm for innovation and disruption. But, we have seen how it happened for other companies, Nokia or BlackBerry for example, with a lot of ambition: people prefer the ubiquitous and comfortable Google.
Bing as a search engine, the risk of disrupting its ecosystem
As a reminder, Samsung seemed to be flirting with the idea of switching to Microsoft’s Bing search engine, a decision that would certainly have pleased Satya Nadella. However, the idea of a Microsoft AI-backed chatbot on Galaxy devices seemed a bit far-fetched.
Still, that wasn’t so surprising either when you remember that Samsung and Microsoft have been partners for several years. Samsung smartphones already integrate OneDrive or Xbox Cloud Gaming and the brand’s televisions were also among the first to offer GamePass.
The move would have marked a significant departure from its longtime partner, Google. However, according to sources close to the company, Samsung ultimately decided not to go ahead with this plan. According to information from the Wall Street Journal, Samsung executives were concerned about the potential fallout from such a change. One of the main factors behind this decision is concern about the market’s reaction — especially that of users of their devices.
An interdependence between Google and Samsung
There is a very present interdependence between Google and Samsung. Each of them brings their technologies to create devices that sell well. So why would Samsung want to change a winning formula? A fitting analogy might be that of the football team moving its best forward in defense. This can sometimes get results, but more often than not it’s akin to scoring an own goal.
It’s fascinating how a single change, the introduction of Bing, could have such a profound impact on Samsung’s ecosystem. This could have triggered a domino effect of unexpected events, disrupting crucial partnerships and causing disruption within the company and the market. Just thinking about the logistical and operational implications is dizzying.
Samsung has certainly been wise in stepping back and looking more critically at the potential fallout. The company has proven that it is not only a major player in the world of technology, but also a shrewd strategist.
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