According to Google Blogoscoped Gmail just started offering to open XLS attachments in Google Spreadsheets. This is very convenient, indeed.
However, what is more interesting here is what the Blogoscoped points at: Google’s strength at locking in the users. It is obvious when you think about it. You are already using Gmail, and once you are inside that application it is way more convenient to use Google’s spreadsheet program to download and open the attachment in any such software. Google already has an mp3 player to play mp3 attachments inside Gmail. One day, they may convert any video format to Google Video format on the fly and offer opening any video attachments in Google Video. I would hardly oppose because it would be convenient.
This got me thinking about lock-ins and monopoly. Microsoft was burned big time and blamed for monopoly and anti-trust when they bundled their browser and media player inside the Windows OS. Competitiors complained this was competitive advantage and users would not bother using any other program. Is Google doing the same thing? I think, in a way, they are. It is not easy to notice at first glance since the platform is different. Google is building a web OS slowly as they offer email, office, calendar, media player, maps etc. They are integrating all their services together as one would expect. How is this different than what MS did? How long will it take before competitors start complaining about Google’s practices?
