Comments on: Google Searches for Korean Mobile Market http://gigaom.com/2006/10/30/google-sk-telecom/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:24:38 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Max Christian http://gigaom.com/2006/10/30/google-sk-telecom/#comment-71254 Max Christian Tue, 31 Oct 2006 09:57:19 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/30/google-sk-telecom/#comment-71254 <p>Google doesn't stand a chance. Apart from the competitive environment which the previous poster describes well, the fact is that Google simply doesn't work well for searches in Korean. A trivial example is that the concept of a word is somewhat different in Korean -- there are spaces between them but most continuous strings of 'letters' also have words within them. Google's search engine doesn't seem to understand this (and much else besides) and the results are not good. Ask almost any Korean speaker. It's crazy for them to be trying to expand through marketing efforts when the product is poor compared to the competition. I hope a Korean search company beats Google to the Chinese market (Chinese is much more similar to Korean than to English), as they certainly deserve to based on performance.</p> Google doesn’t stand a chance. Apart from the competitive environment which the previous poster describes well, the fact is that Google simply doesn’t work well for searches in Korean. A trivial example is that the concept of a word is somewhat different in Korean — there are spaces between them but most continuous strings of ‘letters’ also have words within them. Google’s search engine doesn’t seem to understand this (and much else besides) and the results are not good. Ask almost any Korean speaker. It’s crazy for them to be trying to expand through marketing efforts when the product is poor compared to the competition. I hope a Korean search company beats Google to the Chinese market (Chinese is much more similar to Korean than to English), as they certainly deserve to based on performance.

]]> By: Johnny Won http://gigaom.com/2006/10/30/google-sk-telecom/#comment-71253 Johnny Won Mon, 30 Oct 2006 21:23:40 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/30/google-sk-telecom/#comment-71253 <p>What's funny about Google's Korean push is that it comes so late in the game. It almost parallels Wal-Mart's entry into Korea a few years ago when they thought they could just work in Korea because they were so big elsewhere. </p> <p>Very few US firms have been able to import their technology into Korea and we're seeing the first signs of an agressive Korean push into the US. Korea's homebrewed portals, search, tech firms are so on the curve of the latest, I'm gonna say Google is going to have to buy someone local if they want to get anywhere. </p> <p>Just to put things in perspective: Video re-broadcast on broadband of the hottest TV shows started in 2000. Micropayments ala iTunes style has been around for more than 5 years. Google (and other US firms) should setup massive R&D setups to make Korea it's own playground of future tech. The US' mobile-startup firm looks pitiful compared to whats available on the Korean market.</p> What’s funny about Google’s Korean push is that it comes so late in the game. It almost parallels Wal-Mart’s entry into Korea a few years ago when they thought they could just work in Korea because they were so big elsewhere.

Very few US firms have been able to import their technology into Korea and we’re seeing the first signs of an agressive Korean push into the US. Korea’s homebrewed portals, search, tech firms are so on the curve of the latest, I’m gonna say Google is going to have to buy someone local if they want to get anywhere.

Just to put things in perspective: Video re-broadcast on broadband of the hottest TV shows started in 2000. Micropayments ala iTunes style has been around for more than 5 years. Google (and other US firms) should setup massive R&D setups to make Korea it’s own playground of future tech. The US’ mobile-startup firm looks pitiful compared to whats available on the Korean market.

]]> By: mark http://gigaom.com/2006/10/30/google-sk-telecom/#comment-71252 mark Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:57:38 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/30/google-sk-telecom/#comment-71252 <p>http://digg.com/tech<em>news/Google</em>Searches<em>for</em>Korean<em>Mobile</em>Market</p> http://digg.com/technews/GoogleSearchesforKoreanMobileMarket

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