The Real Purpose of the Google Toolbar
The speculation that Google is going to introduce a Mozilla-based browser to rival IE is interesting considering they’ve seemingly ignored Mozilla users with their IE-only Google Toolbar. The Toolbar, being IE’s only redeeming feature, seems responsible for many wouldbe upgraders sticking with an otherwise buggy, spyware prone piece of software.
Mozilla is a platform designed so that third party developers can create extensions for it. Google could have created a Toolbar for it easily and kept Mozilla/Google fans happy and the fact that they haven’t done this has puzzled me for a long time. Now I realise that Mozilla support for the Toolbar wasn’t really a priority for Google; there’s something far more important they’re working towards.
With the release of a Google browser looking likely, maybe the Toolbar has been part of a long-term strategy to aid web users' transition to the Google Browser. Imagine what effect a simple ‘Upgrade my browser’ button would have if it were to be prominently positioned on every IE window.
Like a Trojan Horse, the Google Toolbar has found its way into the core of IE. Maybe soon it will deliver its fatal blow.