Google vs. Microsoft: Call it a draw over time

Could it be that there will be no clear winner in Google vs. Microsoft battle?

That’s a question worth asking. While observers get caught up in the battle between the two giants it’s not a zero sum game. Microsoft will impact Google and vice versa. The real enemy for Microsoft is Microsoft. And ditto for Google.

This conclusion springs from a presentation from Gartner analysts David Mitchell and Tom Austin. The presentation was delivered Wednesday at the Gartner Symposium and ITxpo in Orlando.

Austin and Mitchell reckon that the most important battlegrounds for Google and Microsoft are:

* Consumerization of IT: The user revolution.
* Web 2.0: Can the companies build solid visions that take advantage of consumer-generated media and social networking?
* Relationships: Who can partner better?

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