Facebook vs. Google
We’ve seen it before. A fast-growing service starts to rub up against a rival and eventually upsets the equilibrium. Soon enough, the rival, who controls something vital to the growth of the other service, begins to use its upper hand to disadvantage the upstart. Typically, the newcomer has very little choice but to give in to the rival’s demands. In the past, this was the story of Google versus Apple. But more recently, this is the story of Facebook and Google—one that could redefine the way we view the web and technology. So what’s all the hype about? Presently, Facebook does not allow its users to export contact data to other Internet services. As a result, Google will not allow Facebook to integrate with the contacts list on Android phones, which happens to be exportable. But why does the contacts list even matter? Well, in the battle for social networking supremacy, Google has been struggling to get a stronger lead on Facebook. In light of such heightened competition, Google is hanging on to every advantage it has over rivals, one of them being the contacts list. So, what does this mean for Facebook? In the past, Google has answered back to its rivals by introducing its own software platforms. If history is any indication, Facebook will follow in the footsteps of Google and redefine the game by introducing a “Facebook phone.” Eventually, Google may decide to do what Apple once did—exerting more control over its OS. If this is the case, Google may put heavier restrictions on which services can and cannot run on its platform. This may put Facebook at a major disadvantage. Until then, however, Facebook will continue dominating the social networking market. By Sam Moe (via Financial Times)
