Is Google playing catch-up to Microsoft's Bing? How's that for a role reversal!
Google's Similar Images feature sounds awful similar to an identical Bing feature called Search Similar. The Bing image search feature has been available since Bing launched. Search Similar was also a feature in Microsoft's previous search engine Live Search.
Actually, Google's Search Similar Images was first launched in test mode in Google Labs last April and on Tuesday it is officially being rolled into Google's search engine as a live (not-beta) feature. It's unclear how long Microsoft's Live Search had the Search Similar feature.
Google is copy-catting Bing at a time when both search engines are locked in a fierce battle for search market share.
According to market research firm ComScore both Google and Bing increased their shares only slightly in September compared to August. ComScore reports Google owns 64.9 of the search market, up slightly from the previous month of 64.6. Bing owns 9.4 percent (up from 9.3 last month). Yahoo slipped from 19.3 percent to 18.8 within the same one month time frame, according to ComScore.