After some months of canoodling, the social networking giant and Microsoft decided to take their relationship to the next level. The two announced yesterday that MySpace will be available for Windows Mobile this summer and that MySpace will be supporting Microsoft’s new Silverlight platform.
While this is exciting news for some, it may be leaving a bad taste in Google’s mouth. This relationship adds a new dynamic to the rivalry that exists between Google and Microsoft and puts MySpace in the middle of a technology-sharing love triangle.
Currently, Google holds a multimillion dollar deal with MySpace and handles their search and other FIM properties. This relationship was formed in 2006 and cost Google around $900 million.
To make matters more complicated, Microsoft also has a $240 million deal with Facebook that was formed back in 2007. This deal gave Microsoft extended control over Facebook’s advertising and took claim to a small portion of their ownership. Google competed against Microsoft for this position, but ultimately lost out in the end.
Will MySpace’s double deal making cause even more problems between Microsoft and Google? Will this new relationship between MySpace and Microsoft break the bond between MySpace and Google? What about the relationship between Facebook and Microsoft? This technology soap opera could end with some big break-ups as each of the players keep bouncing between partners.
The deal between Google and MySpace will expire in 2010, leaving the social network to decide if they will continue the search deal or perhaps move everything over into their partnership with Microsoft.
