Motorola Backflip to use Yahoo, not Google

[Deeko]

AT&T Ditches Google For Yahoo Search on Motorola Backflip
AT&T's first Android phone won't ship with Google Search. Instead, The Motorola Backflip's home screen will sport a Yahoo Search widget, and its browser will run Yahoo searches by default. Yep. I think that's what they call a burn.

It'll be the first Android device of any kind with Yahoo as the main search engine, which makes sense: Android is Google's platform, so Google Search is a natural fit. But Android's also an open platform, which means that carriers can do with it what they please—including denying its creator a chunk of valuable search revenue.

AT&T's undisputed bread and butter is the iPhone, which means that appeasing Apple is high on their priority list. And it's hard to see what other advantage this move has for the carrier other than scoring a point in their patron's favor in the escalating Apple-Google feud.

There are four more AT&T Android phones on the horizon, and it'll be interesting to see how many of them follow this same track. That'll probably have something to do with the consumer response to Yahoo. In the meantime, the Backflip exposes a noticeable beloved patriot in Google's Android armor: an open system is, by definition, one you can get shut out of.

http://gizmodo.com/5483832/att-ditches-google-for-yahoo-search-on-motorola-backflip

Wow - AT&T really hates Google. First it takes them forever to launch an Android phone - and now they remove Google as the default search provider on a Google-powered phone? Ouch.

 

[foghorn67]

This is a big LOLWUT.

 

[foghorn67]

Almost wondering if Apple had something to do with this...hmmmm.

 

[preslove]

This is going to make the backflip fail worse than it was already going to.

 

[Phobic9]

Engadget did a hands-on video of it here: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/01/motorola-backflip-for-atandt-unboxing-and-hands-on/

Yep, looks and runs like ass. Also there's no way to make the search default to Google. WTF AT&T indeed but welcome to Android.. by gimping it.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

It's filled to the brim with pre-loaded AT&T stuff: AllSport GPS, AT&T Maps, AT&T Music (which takes the place of the standard Music app), AT&T Navigator, AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots, Mobile Banking, MobiTV, MusicID, Where, and YPmobile. We strongly prefer the approach of offering a special branded Android Market portal where you can download your carrier's recommended apps.

LULZ. AT&T bloatware. It's the equivalent of loading your computer with BonziBuddy, Wildtangent, Spysherriff

 

[preslove]

So... either Apple has signed another AT&T exclusivity agreement, or this is a bid by AT&T to get it.

Peoples, we're witnessing a full blown proxy war between Google & Apple!

 

[extra]

This is like cutting off your nose to spite your face or w/e lol. Too funny.

I doubt google was offended by this at all. More likely when they heard this there was the sound of collective laughter.

Yep, it's an open system. Which means if you want too you can make your copy of android worse and less usable than the competitions, if you really want too.

 

[zerocool84]

They have to keep AT&T happy. Honestly though, how many people have AT&T and don't have an iPhone??? That's practically the only reason to be on AT&T.

 

[sswingle]

What if you installed another browser such as Dolphin? I bet that program would default to the Google search. I never actually search from within the OS, just the browser.