Sony's PCs will be shipped with Google's Chrome Browser, in a deal that could have far reaching repercussions for the browser market.
Microsoft is currently still in discussions with the EC about unfair practice in bundling its browser in with its operating system – with a ballot page system mooted for the forthcoming OS Windows 7.
Microsoft has insisted throughout that the choice of browser would be down to the OEMs, although rival browser makers have suggested that many of the manufacturers would not risk their relationship with the Redmond giant.
Sony going Chrome
However, Sony has come to an 'experimental' arrangement to ship Chrome on its Vaio PCs, with Google likely to keep pushing for more deals across the industry.
"Users' response to Google Chrome has been outstanding, and we're continuing to explore ways to make Chrome accessible to even more people," Google told TechRadar.
"We are in in the process of testing one such channel with Sony."
Google spokesperson Eitan Bencuya told Reuters that the deal has been in place since the summer, although no details were forthcoming.
Internet Explorer has been the dominant browser for years, principally through its bundling with the ubiquitous Windows operating system.
But with Mozilla's Firefox now in a strong position and the likes of Google and Apple competing for market share, the old guard has been challenged.
Paying OEMs to include a browser is likely to be a key tool in the next generation of browser wars – and Google is one of the few companies with the financial might to pick off Microsoft.
