Microsoft Doesn't Want You to Read Books Anymore!

Microsoft has announced that they will no longer continue with Live Search Books and Live Search Academic.

The reason behind this axing is because both products do not fit into Microsoft's web strategy. Microsoft believes the next generation of search is about the "development of an underlying, sustainable business model for the search engine, consumer and content partner" and I guess books and academic publications just don't make the cut!

Satya Nadella, Senior Vice President Search, Portal and Advertising, said that "today we informed our partners that we are ending the Live Search Books and Live Search Academic projects and that both sites will be taken down next week. Books and scholarly publications will continue to be integrated into our Search results, but not through separate indexes."

"This also means that we are winding down our digitization initiatives, including our library scanning and our in-copyright book programs. We recognize that this decision comes as disappointing news to our partners, the publishing and academic communities, and Live Search users. "

This will surely work to Google's advantage, with their competing product, Book Search, already adding 3000 books per day to its index.

Posted by Courtney Mills at 5:22 AM GMT