I’ve just posted a Q&A from an earlier discussion with Microsoft SVP Yusuf Mehdi and Yahoo EVP Hilary Schneider this morning. The search deal with Microsoft covers “web, image and video search.” Yahoo has the option to use its own technology or another third party technology in other areas, including Maps and Mobile. It can also use Microsoft’s.
It’s very likely however that use of Microsoft search technology will be broader than those three identified areas. What about maps/local? Should Yahoo simply scrap it’s maps and use Microsoft’s Virtual Earth for mapping instead?
This chart from Compete shows Google Maps at #1, followed very closely by MapQuest with Yahoo and Bing very far behind. Yahoo! was the original innovator in dynamic mapping and was the long-time leader in local until the company essentially stopped investing in those products. They’re still good but have more unrealized potential.
What do you think? What would you do if you where Yahoo! here? Keep investing in your own maps platform or use Microsoft’s?
Screenwerk 
July 29, 2009 at 9:44 pm
It’s clear Y! maps have been neglected for some time and Carol Bartz reinforced that with the “I use Google Maps” comment a few months ago. That said, jumping to Bing Maps would be an easy transition, and I suppose Y! could continue all other geo (but not map) areas–FireEagle, flickr geocoding, etc… But if Y!’s going to do this, they should take a long hard look at what mapping means–it’s something else that would fall out of Y!’s control if they go to Bing, yet there are other options
July 31, 2009 at 6:12 pm
[…] showing them in search results? Would Yahoo want to? Greg wondered earlier this week on his blog if Yahoo should just start using Bing Maps (AKA Microsoft’s Virtual Earth). These are some of the many questions yet to be answered about […]