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| Google shutting out rivals, claims Russian search engine Yandex | Google shutting out rivals, claims Russian search engine Yandex |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The co-founder of Russia's leading search engine, Yandex, has accused Google of abusing its dominance to shut out competitors in cyberspace. | The co-founder of Russia's leading search engine, Yandex, has accused Google of abusing its dominance to shut out competitors in cyberspace. |
| Responding to comments made to the Guardian by Sergey Brin, the Google co-founder, about threats to the open internet, Ilya Segalovich described the US search giant's popular smartphone platform, Android, as a "strange combination of openness and not openness" and its Chrome web browser as anti-competitive. | Responding to comments made to the Guardian by Sergey Brin, the Google co-founder, about threats to the open internet, Ilya Segalovich described the US search giant's popular smartphone platform, Android, as a "strange combination of openness and not openness" and its Chrome web browser as anti-competitive. |
| Segalovich, chief technology officer of the Russian internet company, said that Brin should explain Google's "semi-open" approach to search competitors before accusing others of endangering the unfettered internet. | Segalovich, chief technology officer of the Russian internet company, said that Brin should explain Google's "semi-open" approach to search competitors before accusing others of endangering the unfettered internet. |
| Brin told the Guardian that the future of the open internet was under threat from a coalition of governments, but also from private companies, naming Facebook and Apple. Yandex and Google are direct competitors in Russia, where the Moscow-based company dominates the search market with a 62% share, compared with Google's 25% share. | Brin told the Guardian that the future of the open internet was under threat from a coalition of governments, but also from private companies, naming Facebook and Apple. Yandex and Google are direct competitors in Russia, where the Moscow-based company dominates the search market with a 62% share, compared with Google's 25% share. |
| Segalovich suggested Google was guilty of foul play with its Chrome browser, which he said made it difficult for users to choose rival search engines, including Yahoo, Bing and Yandex, over its own market-leading product. He said internet users were effectively coerced into using the Californian internet giant's products over those offered by rivals. | Segalovich suggested Google was guilty of foul play with its Chrome browser, which he said made it difficult for users to choose rival search engines, including Yahoo, Bing and Yandex, over its own market-leading product. He said internet users were effectively coerced into using the Californian internet giant's products over those offered by rivals. |
| "Things are definitely going where more and more control is in the hands of platform providers. It's interesting that it's not only mobile, but it's also about browsers," Segalovich said. | "Things are definitely going where more and more control is in the hands of platform providers. It's interesting that it's not only mobile, but it's also about browsers," Segalovich said. |
| "That is a part of the open and closed issue, in my head. If you own the browser, the browser is the platform then the search is yours. It is the same question … it should be addressed to Sergey himself. He should think about it also. It's a little wider than he described it." | "That is a part of the open and closed issue, in my head. If you own the browser, the browser is the platform then the search is yours. It is the same question … it should be addressed to Sergey himself. He should think about it also. It's a little wider than he described it." |
| Asked whether proprietary products, such as Apple's mobile applications, posed a threat to the open internet, he added: "Definitely there is such a problem. I myself don't like the closed platforms; I think it is important that you have choice." | Asked whether proprietary products, such as Apple's mobile applications, posed a threat to the open internet, he added: "Definitely there is such a problem. I myself don't like the closed platforms; I think it is important that you have choice." |
| Brin, whose family fled the former Soviet Union, reiterated his warning about the future of the internet in a blogpost on Wednesday. He said that governments, rather than private companies, posed the greatest and most immediate threat to the world wide web. | Brin, whose family fled the former Soviet Union, reiterated his warning about the future of the internet in a blogpost on Wednesday. He said that governments, rather than private companies, posed the greatest and most immediate threat to the world wide web. |
| Segalovich downplayed the role of the Russian government in suppressing content on the internet. He said that Moscow was "not making aggressive moves" against internet firms, and added that the government was attempting to be "quite neutral and positive" about cyberspace. | Segalovich downplayed the role of the Russian government in suppressing content on the internet. He said that Moscow was "not making aggressive moves" against internet firms, and added that the government was attempting to be "quite neutral and positive" about cyberspace. |
| He indicated that Yandex, which recently launched internet search and maps in Turkey and opened an office in Switzerland, could be damaged by the "semi-open" nature of Google's Android operating system for smartphones. | He indicated that Yandex, which recently launched internet search and maps in Turkey and opened an office in Switzerland, could be damaged by the "semi-open" nature of Google's Android operating system for smartphones. |
| Phone-makers that have not signed deals to use Android are only able to offer basic applications to their users, Segalovich said. | Phone-makers that have not signed deals to use Android are only able to offer basic applications to their users, Segalovich said. |
| "You cannot [send any code] to Android, it's semi-open source. You cannot send anything, just see and watch [how the code is changed by Google] … If you download an application it may not work properly if it's not Android marketplace. So that's an interesting question," he added. "BlackBerry is trying to use Android but it won't be working properly … It's a strange combination of openness and not openness. That's another part of the story." | "You cannot [send any code] to Android, it's semi-open source. You cannot send anything, just see and watch [how the code is changed by Google] … If you download an application it may not work properly if it's not Android marketplace. So that's an interesting question," he added. "BlackBerry is trying to use Android but it won't be working properly … It's a strange combination of openness and not openness. That's another part of the story." |
| He added: "One of the things about Android which is especially bad for us is if you have the Market [app store] it's the only way to get advanced apps to work properly … But the new remit on Android 4 is if you have this smart kit you have to have search of Google on top of the screen, it's a part of the contract. I don't think it's good. I think it's bad." | He added: "One of the things about Android which is especially bad for us is if you have the Market [app store] it's the only way to get advanced apps to work properly … But the new remit on Android 4 is if you have this smart kit you have to have search of Google on top of the screen, it's a part of the contract. I don't think it's good. I think it's bad." |
| Segalovich said that Google's overwhelming dominance of the search market in Europe opened the company up to anti-trust issues, but acknowledged that Yandex could also face the same pressure in Russia. | Segalovich said that Google's overwhelming dominance of the search market in Europe opened the company up to anti-trust issues, but acknowledged that Yandex could also face the same pressure in Russia. |
| The Yandex boss described the criticism of Facebook by Google's Brin as "an American story, like two matadors" that was not replicated in the Russian internet market. | The Yandex boss described the criticism of Facebook by Google's Brin as "an American story, like two matadors" that was not replicated in the Russian internet market. |
| Comments | Comments |
| 26 comments, displaying first | 26 comments, displaying first |
| 19 April 2012 5:14PM | 19 April 2012 5:14PM |
| Don't see why any company should be forced to let its competitors have any access to its work. | Don't see why any company should be forced to let its competitors have any access to its work. |
| Welcome to capitalism. Get over it. | Welcome to capitalism. Get over it. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 5:27PM | 19 April 2012 5:27PM |
| Segalovich suggested Google was guilty of foul play with its Chrome browser, which picks the company's own search engine as default for users | Segalovich suggested Google was guilty of foul play with its Chrome browser, which picks the company's own search engine as default for users |
| Anyone wanna tell him that IE's default search is Bing? And it's a damned site more clunky to change than Chrome is. Strange how that wasn't mentioned. | Anyone wanna tell him that IE's default search is Bing? And it's a damned site more clunky to change than Chrome is. Strange how that wasn't mentioned. |
| rather than offering a choice between rivals including Yahoo, Bing and Yandex. | rather than offering a choice between rivals including Yahoo, Bing and Yandex. |
| Does he mean offers you a choice on setup? Do any of the other browser do this? | Does he mean offers you a choice on setup? Do any of the other browser do this? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 6:06PM | 19 April 2012 6:06PM |
| At least in Russia a few backhanders and Yandex anti trust issues will go away. | At least in Russia a few backhanders and Yandex anti trust issues will go away. |
| An anyway IE default is Bing. He could pay Firefox to have his engine default world wide. | An anyway IE default is Bing. He could pay Firefox to have his engine default world wide. |
| May be he should build a browser of his own and set Yandex has default, he could even borrow much of Google work as it is open source and improve upon it. | May be he should build a browser of his own and set Yandex has default, he could even borrow much of Google work as it is open source and improve upon it. |
| Google Chrome did have a splash screen for rival search engines once, they should not have remove it, if it has been removed. I have not seen it for a while. | Google Chrome did have a splash screen for rival search engines once, they should not have remove it, if it has been removed. I have not seen it for a while. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 6:47PM | 19 April 2012 6:47PM |
| If you download an application it does not work if it's not Android marketplace. | If you download an application it does not work if it's not Android marketplace. |
Well that is blatantly untrue. Or a very poor translation. | Well that is blatantly untrue. Or a very poor translation. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 7:08PM | 19 April 2012 7:08PM |
| So, Brin, make a better browser, and set your search engine as the default, and stop being such a whiny b*tch. | So, Brin, make a better browser, and set your search engine as the default, and stop being such a whiny b*tch. |
| Make a mobile operating system, and see if it flies. Nobody's bloody stopping you. | Make a mobile operating system, and see if it flies. Nobody's bloody stopping you. |
| I mean ... is this the modern face of capitalism when it comes to the internet? 'Oh the big boys won't do what I want! Someone tell them to do it!' | I mean ... is this the modern face of capitalism when it comes to the internet? 'Oh the big boys won't do what I want! Someone tell them to do it!' |
| Or just a business owner trash-talking their competitor? Why is this news? | Or just a business owner trash-talking their competitor? Why is this news? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 7:20PM | 19 April 2012 7:20PM |
| Too true, there are more than a few android app stores and even more sites where the apps can be sideloaded. | Too true, there are more than a few android app stores and even more sites where the apps can be sideloaded. |
| Most of them Russian based, I suspect | Most of them Russian based, I suspect |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 7:31PM | 19 April 2012 7:31PM |
| Why is this news? | Why is this news? |
| Because it's anti-Google and this is the Guardian. | Because it's anti-Google and this is the Guardian. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 19 April 2012 11:43PM | 19 April 2012 11:43PM |
| Out of all the dirt that exists on Google the Guardian stick to the tame stuff. I take it you're a fan of the search giant, have you seen this spooky stuff? | Out of all the dirt that exists on Google the Guardian stick to the tame stuff. I take it you're a fan of the search giant, have you seen this spooky stuff? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 2:19AM | 20 April 2012 2:19AM |
| I do not use Android As far as I understand Segalovh claims that one can not change default search engine is "open" Android phone as one can do it in "closed" iPhone, right? | I do not use Android As far as I understand Segalovh claims that one can not change default search engine is "open" Android phone as one can do it in "closed" iPhone, right? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 7:34AM | 20 April 2012 7:34AM |
| Has anyone tried Yandex - it's like Yell, not much more than a business directory. | Has anyone tried Yandex - it's like Yell, not much more than a business directory. |
| I did a search for Paul di Resta (F1 driver) and was asked if I meant Paul di Restaurant! | I did a search for Paul di Resta (F1 driver) and was asked if I meant Paul di Restaurant! |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 8:16AM | 20 April 2012 8:16AM |
| The default browser in Gingerbread has the option to use Google, Ask Jeeves, Yahoo or Bing as its default search engine. You can also set the home page to anything you want. The search widget that comes with Android is Google only but you have the choice of downloading others from the market. | The default browser in Gingerbread has the option to use Google, Ask Jeeves, Yahoo or Bing as its default search engine. You can also set the home page to anything you want. The search widget that comes with Android is Google only but you have the choice of downloading others from the market. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 8:54AM | 20 April 2012 8:54AM |
| Strange how that wasn't mentioned. | Strange how that wasn't mentioned. |
It wasn't mentioned as Josh asked about Google. | It wasn't mentioned as Josh asked about Google. |
| Does he mean offers you a choice on setup? | Does he mean offers you a choice on setup? |
He mean drop-down list of search engines as browsers (including IE) does. It has dissapeared in Chrome build where only Google is available and if you want to change search engine you need to go to Menu->Settings, etc. | He mean drop-down list of search engines as browsers (including IE) does. It has dissapeared in Chrome build where only Google is available and if you want to change search engine you need to go to Menu->Settings, etc. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 9:09AM | 20 April 2012 9:09AM |
| An anyway IE default is Bing. | An anyway IE default is Bing. |
Yes, but you can easely choose another search engine (according to region) via drop-down menu in IE's search panel. That is what Chrome do not have now. | Yes, but you can easely choose another search engine (according to region) via drop-down menu in IE's search panel. That is what Chrome do not have now. |
| Google Chrome did have a splash screen for rival search engines once, they should not have remove it, if it has been removed. I have not seen it for a while. | Google Chrome did have a splash screen for rival search engines once, they should not have remove it, if it has been removed. I have not seen it for a while. |
They have removed it, at least in Russia. | They have removed it, at least in Russia. |
| P.S. I'm Yandex's staff. | P.S. I'm Yandex's staff. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 9:13AM | 20 April 2012 9:13AM |
| Has anyone tried Yandex - it's like Yell, not much more than a business directory. I did a search for Paul di Resta (F1 driver) and was asked if I meant Paul di Restaurant! | Has anyone tried Yandex - it's like Yell, not much more than a business directory. I did a search for Paul di Resta (F1 driver) and was asked if I meant Paul di Restaurant! |
This is probably because Yandex doesn't index English speaking websites. The yandex.com is a filter for those Russians only plus the company page for investors. That's it so far (and Yandex do not pretend it is meaningful outside of the CIS, right?) | This is probably because Yandex doesn't index English speaking websites. The yandex.com is a filter for those Russians only plus the company page for investors. That's it so far (and Yandex do not pretend it is meaningful outside of the CIS, right?) |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 9:19AM | 20 April 2012 9:19AM |
| Don't forget Segalovich is talking about Google in Russia first of all. If there are some doubts Google plays there on same rules, just take a look on this piece of its browser code http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6107/8458946.0/0_87c8d_35d8add2_L | Don't forget Segalovich is talking about Google in Russia first of all. If there are some doubts Google plays there on same rules, just take a look on this piece of its browser code http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6107/8458946.0/0_87c8d_35d8add2_L |
| Impressive, right? | Impressive, right? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 9:47AM | 20 April 2012 9:47AM |
| if you want to change search engine you need to go to Menu->Settings, etc. | if you want to change search engine you need to go to Menu->Settings, etc. |
| You're changing browser settings, that's a logical place for it. I'd guess that a typical user just wants a search box and not the extra clutter of a drop down list of search engine API's. If the user cares enough to change their default search engine, they can go into the settings and do that. | You're changing browser settings, that's a logical place for it. I'd guess that a typical user just wants a search box and not the extra clutter of a drop down list of search engine API's. If the user cares enough to change their default search engine, they can go into the settings and do that. |
| He mean drop-down list of search engines as browsers (including IE) does. | He mean drop-down list of search engines as browsers (including IE) does. |
| In Chrome I click the spanner icon > settings > and choose a different search engine from the Search section. | In Chrome I click the spanner icon > settings > and choose a different search engine from the Search section. |
| In IE I click the cog icon > Internet Options > Click Setting in the Search Section > By default only Bing is there in the list. I order to change is I have to locate the minuscule and non-obvious link at the bottom of the window titled "Find more search providers". Doing so takes you to a completely separate page with the search providers listed. Click the one you want and it opens another page about it. Click Add to Internet Explorer, the Add Search Provider dialog pops up. Select the unchecked Make this my default search provider checkbox. Click Add. The window then closes and there's no feedback at all, so back we go to settings to check. Ah yes, the new one is now listed as 'default'. | In IE I click the cog icon > Internet Options > Click Setting in the Search Section > By default only Bing is there in the list. I order to change is I have to locate the minuscule and non-obvious link at the bottom of the window titled "Find more search providers". Doing so takes you to a completely separate page with the search providers listed. Click the one you want and it opens another page about it. Click Add to Internet Explorer, the Add Search Provider dialog pops up. Select the unchecked Make this my default search provider checkbox. Click Add. The window then closes and there's no feedback at all, so back we go to settings to check. Ah yes, the new one is now listed as 'default'. |
| I know which one I find simpler to change the default search engine. | I know which one I find simpler to change the default search engine. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 1:00PM | 20 April 2012 1:00PM |
| Sounds like special pleading to me - Google created their own platforms and consequently have every right to control them. There's nothing stopping Yandex from creating their own browsers and mobile OS. | Sounds like special pleading to me - Google created their own platforms and consequently have every right to control them. There's nothing stopping Yandex from creating their own browsers and mobile OS. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 1:03PM | 20 April 2012 1:03PM |
| Yandex is thrashing Google for being half-open-source ... how open source is Yandex? How do you contribute to Yandex? | Yandex is thrashing Google for being half-open-source ... how open source is Yandex? How do you contribute to Yandex? |
| I agree that there are very deep issues here, but they are not going to be resolved by thrashing your commercial competitors. If anyone goes out and builds a truly open system, my hat is down and I participate. But I sick and tired of reading garbage from complaining clowns. | I agree that there are very deep issues here, but they are not going to be resolved by thrashing your commercial competitors. If anyone goes out and builds a truly open system, my hat is down and I participate. But I sick and tired of reading garbage from complaining clowns. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 1:40PM | 20 April 2012 1:40PM |
| Don't see why any company should be forced to let its competitors have any access to its work. | Don't see why any company should be forced to let its competitors have any access to its work. |
| Welcome to capitalism. Get over it. | Welcome to capitalism. Get over it. |
| But capitalism doesn't work if one company has a monopoly of the market. Everybody recognises this; that's why we have competition law. | But capitalism doesn't work if one company has a monopoly of the market. Everybody recognises this; that's why we have competition law. |
| Think about it: | Think about it: |
| Most people only ever search with Google. Google only make money when you click on their paid search results. Does Google actually have an incentive to keep improving their search algorithm? No, because if you can find what you are looking for in the search result then you won't click on a advertisement. | Most people only ever search with Google. Google only make money when you click on their paid search results. Does Google actually have an incentive to keep improving their search algorithm? No, because if you can find what you are looking for in the search result then you won't click on a advertisement. |
| Is Google Search noticeably better now than it was 5 years ago? I wouldn't say so. However the Ad Words feature has certainly seen lots of development. | Is Google Search noticeably better now than it was 5 years ago? I wouldn't say so. However the Ad Words feature has certainly seen lots of development. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 5:08PM | 20 April 2012 5:08PM |
| Again, Yandex is not complaining about competition. The competition (especially with such a great tech company as Google) is cool! But, the question from Josh (i was near Ilya when he was answering) was not about competition overall. It was about Ilya's comments on Google Brin's recent statement some forces are dangerous for the internet overall. There was the clear answer: fair internet means fair competition. Of course Google has all rights to close its services for any other player. But will it have sense for the rest of market to innovate and to invest into innovations if one company owns 90%? | Again, Yandex is not complaining about competition. The competition (especially with such a great tech company as Google) is cool! But, the question from Josh (i was near Ilya when he was answering) was not about competition overall. It was about Ilya's comments on Google Brin's recent statement some forces are dangerous for the internet overall. There was the clear answer: fair internet means fair competition. Of course Google has all rights to close its services for any other player. But will it have sense for the rest of market to innovate and to invest into innovations if one company owns 90%? |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 5:46PM | 20 April 2012 5:46PM |
| The Internet in Russia is much freer than in the U.S. and the UK. It seems the U.S. are on Chinese way .. SOPA, PIPA, etc. Do not be surprised if they soon erected American of the Great Wall and limit outsiders' access to American segment network. They will say that "for security", but actually to "monitoring" and better "controls" of citizens. I hope that in Russia, this will not happen and the Internet will remain free. But America gives a very bad example, because many countries are accustomed to take from her example and this can lead in a very negative consequences for the world. | The Internet in Russia is much freer than in the U.S. and the UK. It seems the U.S. are on Chinese way .. SOPA, PIPA, etc. Do not be surprised if they soon erected American of the Great Wall and limit outsiders' access to American segment network. They will say that "for security", but actually to "monitoring" and better "controls" of citizens. I hope that in Russia, this will not happen and the Internet will remain free. But America gives a very bad example, because many countries are accustomed to take from her example and this can lead in a very negative consequences for the world. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 20 April 2012 5:48PM | 20 April 2012 5:48PM |
| Forgot to insert quote. I is said about this: | Forgot to insert quote. I is said about this: |
| "Segalovich downplayed the role of the Russian government in suppressing content on the internet." | "Segalovich downplayed the role of the Russian government in suppressing content on the internet." |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 21 April 2012 5:07AM | 21 April 2012 5:07AM |
| @lollygagging | @lollygagging |
| Safari, Opera and Firefox give users a choice of search engines. And BTW, so does Apple Siri - which defaults to Wolfram Research for some functions but understands what I mean if I say "Siri, search Google for 'Bing'". | Safari, Opera and Firefox give users a choice of search engines. And BTW, so does Apple Siri - which defaults to Wolfram Research for some functions but understands what I mean if I say "Siri, search Google for 'Bing'". |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 21 April 2012 9:53AM | 21 April 2012 9:53AM |
| I'd suggest it is the job of the market to come up with a better product rather than the role of regulators or the courts to allow inferior products an advantage they haven't earned themselves. | I'd suggest it is the job of the market to come up with a better product rather than the role of regulators or the courts to allow inferior products an advantage they haven't earned themselves. |
| On Google, I always find what i need on search so have no desire to seek another service although if i was to become aware of one which does something I didn't even know I needed, i'd use it. | On Google, I always find what i need on search so have no desire to seek another service although if i was to become aware of one which does something I didn't even know I needed, i'd use it. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 21 April 2012 11:33AM | 21 April 2012 11:33AM |
| There is an obvious advantage in controlling how popular software distributes knowledge, the Chinese have recognised this and so the question becomes do we allow private companies to use personal information or, do we allow governments to more safely (hopefully) control the principles of the internet and information technology. The British formula is to allow private companies to harvest everything they can and then make it available to the government, this is the worst solution for ordinary people who are then subject to commercial spying as well as governmental snooping. | There is an obvious advantage in controlling how popular software distributes knowledge, the Chinese have recognised this and so the question becomes do we allow private companies to use personal information or, do we allow governments to more safely (hopefully) control the principles of the internet and information technology. The British formula is to allow private companies to harvest everything they can and then make it available to the government, this is the worst solution for ordinary people who are then subject to commercial spying as well as governmental snooping. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| 21 April 2012 1:43PM | 21 April 2012 1:43PM |
| Never mind Chrome or IE. Try changing the address bar search in Firefox away from Google. | Never mind Chrome or IE. Try changing the address bar search in Firefox away from Google. |
| Link to this comment: | Link to this comment: |
| Comments on this page are now closed. | Comments on this page are now closed. |
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| Yandex co-founder says US tech giant is 'semi-open', criticising its Android smartphone platform and Chrome web browser | Yandex co-founder says US tech giant is 'semi-open', criticising its Android smartphone platform and Chrome web browser |
| The co-founder of Russia's leading search engine, Yandex, has accused Google of abusing its dominance to shut out competitors in cyberspace. | The co-founder of Russia's leading search engine, Yandex, has accused Google of abusing its dominance to shut out competitors in cyberspace. |
| Responding to comments made to the Guardian by Sergey Brin, the Google co-founder, about threats to the open internet, Ilya Segalovich described the US search giant's popular smartphone platform, Android, as a "strange combination of openness and not openness" and its Chrome web browser as anti-competitive. | Responding to comments made to the Guardian by Sergey Brin, the Google co-founder, about threats to the open internet, Ilya Segalovich described the US search giant's popular smartphone platform, Android, as a "strange combination of openness and not openness" and its Chrome web browser as anti-competitive. |
| Segalovich, chief technology officer of the Russian internet company, said that Brin should explain Google's "semi-open" approach to search competitors before accusing others of endangering the unfettered internet. | Segalovich, chief technology officer of the Russian internet company, said that Brin should explain Google's "semi-open" approach to search competitors before accusing others of endangering the unfettered internet. |
| Brin told the Guardian that the future of the open internet was under threat from a coalition of governments, but also from private companies, naming Facebook and Apple. Yandex and Google are direct competitors in Russia, where the Moscow-based company dominates the search market with a 62% share, compared with Google's 25% share. | Brin told the Guardian that the future of the open internet was under threat from a coalition of governments, but also from private companies, naming Facebook and Apple. Yandex and Google are direct competitors in Russia, where the Moscow-based company dominates the search market with a 62% share, compared with Google's 25% share. |
| Segalovich suggested Google was guilty of foul play with its Chrome browser, which he said made it difficult for users to choose rival search engines, including Yahoo, Bing and Yandex, over its own market-leading product. He said internet users were effectively coerced into using the Californian internet giant's products over those offered by rivals. | Segalovich suggested Google was guilty of foul play with its Chrome browser, which he said made it difficult for users to choose rival search engines, including Yahoo, Bing and Yandex, over its own market-leading product. He said internet users were effectively coerced into using the Californian internet giant's products over those offered by rivals. |
| "Things are definitely going where more and more control is in the hands of platform providers. It's interesting that it's not only mobile, but it's also about browsers," Segalovich said. | "Things are definitely going where more and more control is in the hands of platform providers. It's interesting that it's not only mobile, but it's also about browsers," Segalovich said. |
| "That is a part of the open and closed issue, in my head. If you own the browser, the browser is the platform then the search is yours. It is the same question … it should be addressed to Sergey himself. He should think about it also. It's a little wider than he described it." | "That is a part of the open and closed issue, in my head. If you own the browser, the browser is the platform then the search is yours. It is the same question … it should be addressed to Sergey himself. He should think about it also. It's a little wider than he described it." |
| Asked whether proprietary products, such as Apple's mobile applications, posed a threat to the open internet, he added: "Definitely there is such a problem. I myself don't like the closed platforms; I think it is important that you have choice." | Asked whether proprietary products, such as Apple's mobile applications, posed a threat to the open internet, he added: "Definitely there is such a problem. I myself don't like the closed platforms; I think it is important that you have choice." |
| Brin, whose family fled the former Soviet Union, reiterated his warning about the future of the internet in a blogpost on Wednesday. He said that governments, rather than private companies, posed the greatest and most immediate threat to the world wide web. | Brin, whose family fled the former Soviet Union, reiterated his warning about the future of the internet in a blogpost on Wednesday. He said that governments, rather than private companies, posed the greatest and most immediate threat to the world wide web. |
| Segalovich downplayed the role of the Russian government in suppressing content on the internet. He said that Moscow was "not making aggressive moves" against internet firms, and added that the government was attempting to be "quite neutral and positive" about cyberspace. | Segalovich downplayed the role of the Russian government in suppressing content on the internet. He said that Moscow was "not making aggressive moves" against internet firms, and added that the government was attempting to be "quite neutral and positive" about cyberspace. |
| He indicated that Yandex, which recently launched internet search and maps in Turkey and opened an office in Switzerland, could be damaged by the "semi-open" nature of Google's Android operating system for smartphones. | He indicated that Yandex, which recently launched internet search and maps in Turkey and opened an office in Switzerland, could be damaged by the "semi-open" nature of Google's Android operating system for smartphones. |
| Phone-makers that have not signed deals to use Android are only able to offer basic applications to their users, Segalovich said. | Phone-makers that have not signed deals to use Android are only able to offer basic applications to their users, Segalovich said. |
| "You cannot [send any code] to Android, it's semi-open source. You cannot send anything, just see and watch [how the code is changed by Google] … If you download an application it may not work properly if it's not Android marketplace. So that's an interesting question," he added. "BlackBerry is trying to use Android but it won't be working properly … It's a strange combination of openness and not openness. That's another part of the story." | "You cannot [send any code] to Android, it's semi-open source. You cannot send anything, just see and watch [how the code is changed by Google] … If you download an application it may not work properly if it's not Android marketplace. So that's an interesting question," he added. "BlackBerry is trying to use Android but it won't be working properly … It's a strange combination of openness and not openness. That's another part of the story." |
| He added: "One of the things about Android which is especially bad for us is if you have the Market [app store] it's the only way to get advanced apps to work properly … But the new remit on Android 4 is if you have this smart kit you have to have search of Google on top of the screen, it's a part of the contract. I don't think it's good. I think it's bad." | He added: "One of the things about Android which is especially bad for us is if you have the Market [app store] it's the only way to get advanced apps to work properly … But the new remit on Android 4 is if you have this smart kit you have to have search of Google on top of the screen, it's a part of the contract. I don't think it's good. I think it's bad." |
| Segalovich said that Google's overwhelming dominance of the search market in Europe opened the company up to anti-trust issues, but acknowledged that Yandex could also face the same pressure in Russia. | Segalovich said that Google's overwhelming dominance of the search market in Europe opened the company up to anti-trust issues, but acknowledged that Yandex could also face the same pressure in Russia. |
| The Yandex boss described the criticism of Facebook by Google's Brin as "an American story, like two matadors" that was not replicated in the Russian internet market. | The Yandex boss described the criticism of Facebook by Google's Brin as "an American story, like two matadors" that was not replicated in the Russian internet market. |