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Google Korea and Yahoo! Korea announced plans Tuesday to merge their key Web services over the platforms of their digital maps and other location-based services, hoping that the enriched applications would drive up traffic on both sites.Under the agreement, Google sprinkles video clips from YouTube (kr.youtube.com) on Yahoo's map (map.yahoo.co.kr), while Yahoo interconnects its local search service, Gugi (kr.gugi.yahoo.com), with Google's map (www.maps.google.co.kr).
article [koreatimes.co.kr]
I read somewhere else ppl thinking this also had to do with MS having browser dominance (near 100% IE) in the market as well. Well, let me put that to bed: it has nothing to do with "MS dominance". MS is just as weak in search and as a portal site here in Korea as the rest (probably less than 5% share).
- Google has about 2% search market,
- Yahoo and MSN barely have less than 10% combined.
- Homegrown portal/search engine Naver (NHN) dominates with 75%ish (as reported)
- homegrown Daum.net coming in distant second.
- Youtube is nothing here (less 5% share) as well with local local PandoraTV dominating.
- Myspace is nothing here (less than 3% share) with local Cyworld dominating SNS market (seeing a trend?).
- Daum Maps only launched last month is is dominating. Yahoo maps a distttant second and I may be about the only one in Korea who uses google maps sometimes (to look at friends places in the US, btw). lol
In other words: don't get too excited. These type announcements always tend to make the rounds on English based sites/news, but barely register in Korean news. heh. go figure.
The merger of services may help them both specifically in the map market (whatever that is +_+), but even so, probably not that much.
When it gets down to it: Daum maps are faster, resolution is superior and features are robust and actually pretty dang cool. And they already have the eyeballs with 90%+ market reach. Google and Yahoo brand power isn't going to help them in this market either. Proof is in the pudding: Daum maps is already dominating in its niche just one month after launch. Yahoo's "gugi" search is fairly popular in and of itself, but doubtful it will be enough of a pull to make ppl use the agonizingly slow Google Maps. And Youtube is goign to do little for Yahoo maps except for grab a few more expats in Korea who don't now how to use Daum.
More importantly, this will do little to nothing to affect the search market standings here---which we all know is their bread-and-butter.
On the upside, this is probably just a test benchmarking for roll-out later to international sites (ie: you might see this down the line in the US/Europe). And/or it could be another item to roll out of Googles R&D center here (like the combined SERPs and promote buttons etc that some have been seeing). woot! now THAT could be interesting to see.
But eitherway, seems Google Korea is still better off just continuing to try to expand its AdSense syndication channels/affiliates, and focus on the mobile market-- OEM its search, android, and deals with SK Telecom/KT, etc. Mobile market here is in flux and open and has a lot room for them to leap frog.
so sayeth GrendelKhan{TSU}
What's Yahoo's "gugi" search like? Anything innovative there?
How are Yahoo maps in Korea? Not too long ago I was trying to find the location of a factory in Korea using Google maps and the resolution was horrible for the satellite images. Are the Yahoo and Daum offerings much better?
Google seems to be becoming the default mapping program on the planet. I know that there have been some military requests to limit resolution in certain areas of the globe. That has to affect Korea to some extent. How do Yahoo and Daum deal with that?
What's Yahoo's "gugi" search like? Anything innovative there?
Not really. its just a well organized review, recommendation, place locater (stores, restaraunts, etc) search and section of yahoo. It was first, so it has a lot of good, user-generated content (reviews and the like). Its like Zagats on steriods and for everything (not just restaraunts).
How are Yahoo maps in Korea? Not too long ago I was trying to find the location of a factory in Korea using Google maps and the resolution was horrible for the satellite images. Are the Yahoo and Daum offerings much better?
yahoo maps and google maps use the same provider for data DigitalGlobe and SK Energy data (difference is yahoo implements i-cubed and Google geoeye), while Daum uses local imagery and map company, Congnamul (which was the number one map service in-and-of itself before Daum licensed it. Side note: KoreaTelecom who owns competitive portal, Paran, also licensed it for a map service --but it never really took off as Paran itself is weak). Anyway.... Win-Win for Congnamul all around. (props!)
Daum's execution is top notch. All the needed features are there of course (live traffic, directions, important locales), plus higher crisper resolution and much closer viewing (down to 8m, opposed to yahoo/google 25 meters) and well laid out UI. Tons of street side cameras with 3-D rotation for extra wow factor (complete with virtual 3.d arrows to show traffic directions).
But by far most importantly, Daum (congnamul) has FRESHER/RECENT data. And that's really what it comes down to for me.
eg: My office is a new building and it was showing up on Daum, but Yahoo/Google still shows the empty parking lot and building it was previously. That is VERY significant. The rate at which roads and buildings go up in Korea... freshness of data alone is worth whatever bells-and-whiste features Yahoo/Google want to throw in. I really don't what a youtube video is going to do for a map that doesn't even have the right road or building on it. (unless the video is "what the...? there should be a building here!"). heh.
I think its ok to say I actually met with the congnamul guys a while back and they were kinda braggin that Google was coming to them asking if they could use their data. true or not, there you have it.
Google seems to be becoming the default mapping program on the planet. I know that there have been some military requests to limit resolution in certain areas of the globe. That has to affect Korea to some extent. How do Yahoo and Daum deal with that?
Congnamul is homegrown. they had that issue resolved from the start. I don't know exactly where SK data and Google maps data begins or ends, but I think Google basically had to switch out the sensitive areas as per request. SK would have already had that done.
So as of now, the only clear advantage Google / Yahoo have is international maps. If you want to explore outside Korea, you have no choice but to use Google/Yahoo. Daum/congnamul covers Korea and some of the surrounding countries. But zoom out all the way and you see the extent of coverage is a big box around Korea, and the rest of the world is just white background.
Related Aside:Google/Yahoo "Double-Edged Sword" Problem
This basically is very representative a problem Yahoo/Google have here in all areas--a sort of double-edged sword. They both have world of resources and as such, have great products---generally speaking. But to be best here (or attempt to be)... you need to pretty much be laser focused on Korea exclusively or you are just become diluted ... in focus, services and execution). We see this many markets heres, not just internet portal/search. Daum maps only deal with Korea, and as such has better specialized service. Google/Yahoo have a significant "outside in" problem and it shows (google's R&D center being smartly played exception). The big name razzle-dazzle may be good enough given their clout and depth elsewhere, but its no where good enough for this demanding and digital advanced market.That said, it should be noted that there is very a real reverse double-edged sword effect for local NHN, Daum et al as well. Their protective nature and absolute focus gives them a clear edge IN KOREA, FOR KOREA. But in many ways, they have been tooo effective. That same protective focus has created a very real walled-garden effect...which roots that go down so deep in Koreaism that they can't seem to go anywhere else and make it happen (see NHN in Japan, Daum takes over Terra Lycos, Cyworld closes doors in US) and they are missing out on the "open source" trend and creativity and expansion has suffered as a result.
Ironically, the same things that generally cause a lot of giant brands to come into Korea and fail, are the same things that have caused Korean internet giants to fail outside of its borders: you can't cookie-cutter solution/turn-key expand internet sites and services without major localization or ground-up redevelopment (unless you luck into a country that be default is down with you style, so to speak). As we all know, kimchee is an acquired taste. heh.
Daum being number two and always looking for ways to take out the entrenched Naver has been much more open to working with foreign companies (eg: they use google SERPS for web pages), and quicker to jump on the open api bandwagon. Perhaps, they think they will be leap-frogging in the end by tapping into the global open trends rather then chipping away fruitlessly at the "no! use our search engine!" wall. Too bad for Daum, true to form, NHN is late to the party but fashionably so... they recently announced, for first time, some open APIs for its search and others services as well. NHN seems well aware of their predicament, but just move very cautiously as to what to do about it. Don't fix it if it ain't broke, so to speak (until you really really really have to). I'd love if NHN would loosen up a bit, but its been working for them so far so whadda I know. :p
... and so ends another GrendelKhan ramble. Anyone still awake? ^_^;;
[edited by: GrendelKhan_TSU at 6:29 am (utc) on Feb. 4, 2009]
reverse double-edged sword effect
It seems that they're so used to unbridled success in Korea that when they're greeted by the sound of chirping crickets on the international scene it must be tough.
very true. its cultural problem as much as business one. I could go on the nuances, but the general problem is the same as stated above.
In a way, I guess can understand it being harder for Korea internet services/companies to loosen up when they move outside the walls than for big google gorilla types to just "add" korea to their list. They jut have much more to lose and much less in depth to do a complete overhaul or step-by-step ease in with localization testing over time.
Either that or us Koreans are just too dang stubborn.
(hmmmm.... tough call actually. lol :p)
Corporate culture-wise, Daum probably has best chance among the Korean big portals to do well outside Korean borders... unfortunately, idea/creative/product-wise... it always seems to be a step behind or lacking. eg: its SNS rollout (planet via lycos) was a cyworld knockoff. Even Daum maps isn't "new" or innovative, per se, its just better than its competitors.
in contrast, NHN seems to have the right idea with game focus for its US effort, but as historically has been the case, just seems to think "if you build it, they will come" works for the US as it does in Korea. *sigh*
Well one good thing is that aforementioned Korean stubborness also means its unlikely that'll you see anyone throwing in the towel while there is still funding to try (not that that there is any guarantee that'll last)
