Since launching its English-language Bing search site in June, Microsoft has been gaining steady share in the United States, with 10.3 percent in November versus 17.5 percent for Yahoo and 65.6 percent for dominant player Google, according to comScore.

Microsoft hopes to get off to a similar fast start with its Chinese-language Bing site, which is still in its beta phase following a low-key launch in June.

“We specially set the search technology center in China to get a deeper understanding of what Chinese users need, to be able to deliver the best product to them,” said the company.

Analysys analyst Jin Naili said users will need time to try out and get used to Bing before it has any chance of becoming a serious rival to any of the established players.

But she added that since Microsoft launched Bing’s China beta version in June, the number of users who have visited the site at least three times a month has increased 30 percent as of October.

“Within one or two years, there could be large changes in China’s search market,” she said.

Source : Konaxis