Shining a light on Chrome

Last week Google launched a beta version of Chrome, a new software platform initially geared to operate as an Internet browser. Since Google is an advertising company which sells ads through its search engine, the question to be answered is why Google is providing the software to the public.

The easy answer is that Google enhances its brand through efforts to tweak Microsoft. Like Apple, the overwhelming presence of Windows makes it an easy target. The “other guy” approach to marketing has worked well for both companies in framing their brands, though not necessarily in expanding market share. Google has marketed the software through a comic book that focuses on the technology.

The more strategic answer focuses on Google’s business as the friendly advertising company. Anticipating increased push-back from users and the need to deliver ever-more highly targeted advertising, Chrome provides Google direct access to the consumer’s interests and behaviors. For example, the highly touted anonymous browsing protects the user’s computer from cookies, but it still allows the anonymous activity to be tracked for purposes of aggregated consumer behavior, just not tied back to particular individuals. This provides some benefit to users while allowing Google to retain its advantage.

The most strategic answer, however, comes from the platform-neutral Webkit software design, which will allow Google to provide a synched platform on computers, cell phones, portable media devices, and digital television set-top boxes.

The ability to control advertising across these four platforms will create the next media giant. Google may be very friendly – remember it launched the browser with a comic book – but it has precisely the same ambitions as Microsoft (or The Brain).

The goal of taking over the world, or at least the platform of every media device may also explain the poor timing of the Chrome launch. Admittedly a beta product, the software has been reviewed as much less ready for the market than most of its other products. But the moves by Microsoft and Netflix to use Xbox and by Sony to use the Playstation as video platforms as well as Apple’s updating of iTunes has pushed the timing of Google’s entry.

While the premature delivery has taken a bit of the shine off of Chrome, the anti-Microsoft has plenty of supporters and this should give it time to deliver a high quality product that will give it at least a toehold in the climb to the top of the platform wars.

The beachhead has been held. Now the battles begin.