- Business software units of Yahoo and Google are introducing beefed-up versions of their Web-based software that compete with Microsoft Outlook, offering yet another clue why Microsoft made a $45 billion unsolicited bid for Yahoo.
While Microsoft views Yahoo as its path into the lucrative Web advertising market dominated by Google, Tuesday"s software announcements by Yahoo and Google demonstrate that Microsoft also needs to fend off potential challenges to its business software franchises. Yahoo"s new Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS) 5.0 allows users to read Microsoft Outlook e-mail alongside Yahoo Mail or Google"s Gmail or Zimbra"s own branded e-mail.