Microsoft is trying to trick people into using Bing. Microsoft Edge, when used to search for “Google,” directs users to a Bing-powered landing page designed to mimic Google’s appearance. This page employs a quick scrolling animation upon loading to obscure the prominent Bing branding at the top.
It even has a Doodle, which is synonymous with Google Search user interface (UI). This “doodle” is a giant animated picture of people celebrating. This is the first thing that loads up looking a lot like Google’s. It has a clean layout, a search bar in the middle, and simple illustrations. However, it’s not Google search but Bing search.
This sneaky update by Microsoft is suspected to be a spoof of Google’s UI, as the rival’s search engine is far more popular. The tech giant is likely trying to reduce the number of users who immediately leave Bing search after it loads up.
Google’s Chrome boss, Parisa Tabriz, took to her X account to comment on the spoof attempt, writing, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but Microsoft spoofing the Google homepage is another tactic in its long history of tricks to confuse users and limit choice.”
Tabriz added a jab at the rivals, finishing her post with, “New year; new low Microsoft.”
READ: Microsoft Edge Faces Tough Competition as Chrome Boosts Its Lead
Bing currently has a 3.42% share of the worldwide search engine market. On the other hand, Google, the industry leader, currently has a market share of 91.47%. The Microsoft-owned search engine is still the second largest in terms of search traffic, demonstrating just how dominant Google is.
While Google dominates most device segments, Bing holds a 54.68% market share among US console users, making it the exception.
