Apple Targets Win7 Search with Google Ad-Bombs

With Microsoft grabbing all the headlines of late with its brand-spanking new Windows 7 operating system (OS), Apple has made its bid to turn consumer attention away from their Redmond-based competitor by employing the help of search titan Google.

According to reports, search terms for "Windows 7 download" and even "Windows 7 upgrade" have triggered Google-sponsored links for Apple products. While some may think that an advertising campaign such as this is 'just business', others say that such a tactic is dirty. (Source: thenextweb.com)

Apple: Make the Switch to Mac

Apple hasn't made any effort to hide its ploy to distract potential Windows 7 buyers from reaching Microsoft.com. In fact, one message found via Google read "Thinking of Upgrading? Avoid Windows 7 headaches. Make the switch to Mac. It's easy." (Source: cnet.com)

Another message implored users make the "ultimate" upgrade by choosing Apple instead. "If you have to upgrade, make the ultimate upgrade. Switch to Mac," it read. (Source: softpedia.com)

Windows Users not Likely to Switch

Still, it's unlikely Apple's sneaky business is going to deter people from making an upgrade to Windows 7 on their PCs. After all, the operating system has been receiving some pretty lofty reviews since its release on October 22.

What's so great about Windows 7? Depending on who you ask, and which operating system you're upgrading from, the answer varies. So far, early reports suggest that Win7's lowered power usage is a rather big improvement -- and can even extend laptop battery lives by an hour or more; plus, Win7 is being praised for its technical support, which is far more advanced than either XP or Vista.

Google, Apple Have Good Reason for Gripes

Still, if you're Apple, something's got to be done in order to keep Microsoft from stealing customers this holiday season. Last summer, senior vice president of software engineering for Apple Bertran Serlet did his best to distract Windows 7 inquirers by referring to the new OS as "just another version of Vista," and prone to the same clunky issues. (Source: crn.com)

Google may also have its own reasons to take a punch or two at Microsoft. After all, the latter company's relatively new search engine, Bing, has seen steady market growth since it was first unveiled over the summer. Although it isn't yet close to knocking Google off the search engine throne, it's unlikely any Google execs protested Apple's request to mess with searches for Windows 7.