When you first install Google Chrome, you're presented with the choice of search engine.

I'm pretty sure 99% choose Google not because they are already using Chrome, but because they probably trust or know Google more than Bing or Yahoo.

From my experience, IE users will usually either ignore the Bing search field, type "google.com" in and search manually, or change the search provider to Google anyway.

I would also speculate that a very large portion of Chrome users has no idea that the address bar is also a search field. They probably type in "google.com" manually every time.

If Bing, Yahoo or anyone else provides a more compelling search experience, these users will switch.

Random story: I've used Chrome since the day it was publicly released and am fully aware that the address bar does more than just accept urls - in fact, it's called the omnibox for a great reason. But I still type in "google.com" for 99% of my searches (probably 100+ times a day). The reason is that I like the Google homepage. The white space allows me to clear my thoughts without being distracted by whatever would be on my screen otherwise, and the search box is perfectly positioned in the center of my screen. Weird, I know, but I like it.

Interesting, I actually use Bing (or at least go there once a day) mainly to see a new picture every day. It's often high quality nice shots from random places, so I feel like I'm learning about a new place every time... makes me dream :/

This is one reason I don't mind that the only built-in option for search on Windows Phone is Bing. While I believe I get better results from Google (though that may be bias on my part), when I hit the search button it pops up a nice picture. Many times the picture is relevant to a holiday or special event that occurred on that day, and there are call-outs you can press to see quick facts (today's is about Yamuna River pollution and the Taj Mahal).

It's a good example of TheCoreh's point that it's all about providing a more compelling experience. If I was given the option when I first turned on my phone, I likely would have put in Google just out of habit. Today, I probably would not. Probably.

Perhaps, but that's mostly because people prefer Google. When you install Chrome it pops up asking what search engine you would like to use. What should Google do differently? Microsoft hides the default search provider in the initial setup behind a "choose custom settings" button.

http://nyacomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/chrome-se...

vs

http://static.arstechnica.com/ie8_search.png

Wow. The difference in the two images speak volumes.

I may be mistaken but, having happened to install Chrome several times recently, I'm pretty sur that they even randomize the order of the entries so as not to favor any one position. Can anyone confirm/disconfirm?

The Google-Yahoo-Bing order appears to be fixed. That being said, the MSIE search provider install process is much more complex.

Some would say the middle choice would be the most obvious to people, if they were to choose without knowing too much about each one of them.

Also, I have the impression that a few microsoft products (MSN, live etc) will automatically change other browser's search engine to Bing. My girlfriend told me her "google changed" after installing MSN.

But maybe it was something else, as she's doesn't exactly knows what she's doing. Can anyone confirm that?

This happens with a lot of software, unfortunately. On the side, I do computer repair (and charge for it). I'd say about 30% of my calls are "my Google changed to Ask!" after installing FoxIt or Digsby etc.

I was hoping that charging people money would lead them to finding their own solutions for trivial problems, but instead it has just padded my beer fund. C'est la vie.

I believe there is often a check box asking if you want to change you default search engine to Bing, and its checked by default, so yes she might be right.

Actually, it's much worse. Have you ever tried installing google as a search provider in IE? It's almost impossible.

I'm a software engineer, and it took me a good 10 minutes to find the damn setting. I haven't used IE in a few years but had to fire it up to so some UI testing.

Gosh this definitely screams monopoly abuse to me.

Speaking of monopoly abuse... google.com tells me to download Chrome to make the Internet faster.

I understand where your coming from, but IMO there is a world of difference between a call to action and making things worse to leverage your market dominance.

Can you honestly think of any reason for this screen not to just show other options that's good for users? http://static.arstechnica.com/ie8_search.png

No it doesn't. This is screen that greets new users of Chrome: http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/chrome/chrome_95346_sea...

This will only get worse as Google progressively decides to plussify Chrome.

Out of all of Google's products, Chrome is the one that worries me the most. Using Chrome means that you just upped Google's reach on you by many fold, they now are running code directly tied to your machine and not within the constraints of a web page or app.

Are they invading your device privacy through Chrome? I dunno, probably not yet, but they can, and how long until they decide to? Given their history, specially their recent history, I don't plan on giving them the chance to do so.

It's funny how just a few years ago Google could seemingly do no wrong. The more I see of life, the more I agree with Stallman's fundamentalist perspective that all software should be free and open. It would prevent these abuses as anyone could just setup a search engine or web based document editor if they didn't like the way their provider was conducting business.

Yeah, I agree. In fact, I've recently switched back to FF as my primary browser.

The thing that pushed me over the edge was the way chrome insists I log in to my google account.

Granted, it doesn't force you to log in, but the version I recently installed on my Ubuntu based netbook kept popping up a dialog at launch, nagging me to do so. The options on the dialog were to log in or wait until later (no option for never).

I just looked now, and it appears that if I go in and manually disconnect my google account, it no longer bugs me. Hmm ... I could swear I tried that before switching back to FF.

The fact that Chrome added incognito window is a good sign, the fact that there is still no flash block is a bad one IMO. Honestly, I think gmail and search are probably more dangerous when it comes to privacy. People can track the information Chrome sends back to Google, but you have no idea what happens once your data is on their servers.

You can set Chrome to block all plugins. There's a context menu item to selectively run the plugin, and a white-list, as well.

Nice.

Still, I've recently switched back to FF as my primary, for other reasons.

Cool, thanks!

They're adding 'click-to-play' as an option for plugins like flash in the default browser settings (no extension required) in version 18. It's allowed people to turn on the radio button using about:flags for more than a year.

Once enabled, go to wrench menu > Settings > Under the Bonnet > Advanced Settings > Privacy > Content Settings > Plug-ins

Isn't Google's dominance in the search engine business pretty well established at this point? Is there a sizable group of people that, upon using Chrome, will be using Google search more often?

Google can't realistically push more people to use Google by default. Google search is a monopoly.

I believe it is fair to state, however, that one of the reasons that Chrome exists is that Google wants Google to be synonymous with the Web in the minds of consumers. When your browser is Google and your search engine is Google, the web to you is Google. This will dovetail quite nicely with all the other places they're trying to expand to once they manage to establish a dominant browser market share.

As if Google search wasn't already used by most people? Google has like 90% market share globally. That was the case even when IE had 70% market share, and maybe even earlier.