Google is launching an SMS search service in China as it seeks to compete with local rival Baidu. The service will allow Chinese mobile users to send a message to a Google phone number. Google then sends a return text message which contains the search results. The service is free, except for the standard text message charge, and can be used to obtain information about the stock markets, weather and train times.
The U.S. search company has now launched 25 local products in China this year. Google had a 22.8 percent share of the Chinese search market in Q2, while Baidu had a 51.8 percent market share, according to Analysys. The US search engine is slowly catching up on the Chinese company, however, as its share of the market was up 4 percent in Q2, compared to a 1 percent rise from Baidu. China is a potentially lucrative market for mobile search. Earlier this week MBB reported that Baidu is partnering with China Mobile and China Netcom on the launch of search applications that will run over the country’s future 3G networks.