Adobe signs distribution deal with Google

Design software maker Adobe Systems Inc. and Mountain View, California based search leader Google Inc. have hit a deal which will see Adobe distribute Google's search toolbar with downloads of its software products.

Document and desktop graphics software developer today said that it has signed a "multi-year distribution agreement" for the search engine's "Toolbar". Under the agreement, which will run for several years, Google will pay San Jose, Calif. based Adobe to distribute the Google search tool bar when users download Adobe's Shockwave multimedia software.

In the beginning, the Google Toolbar will only be segment of the download package of Adobe's Macromedia Shockwave Player while other Adobe Products will carry the Google software in the future.

Shockwave, which Adobe obtained when it assumed control of Macromedia in 2005, is software that enables users to view and participate in interactive online multimedia games and entertainment sites on a web browser. And under this deal, users will get the Google toolbar search when the download Shockwave for Microsoft's Internet Explorer which has 85% market shares. The fresh version Internet Explorer, IE7, has Windows Live Search as its default search window on the toolbar.

Despite, Adobe did not provide numbers how often the Shockwave Player is typically downloaded per month, however it mentioned that that total downloads to date exceed the 200 million mark; the firm claims that the software is installed on more than 55% of all "Internet-enabled desktops."

However, financial specifications of the deal were not revealed, but it was reported that the largest internet search company in the world-Google will be paying Adobe a "substantial sum" in exchange for the help in distributing its software. It is heard that Google has paid big money to get its search Window as the default on rival open source browser Firefox which has about 11% market share.

Adobe said that the Google deal was determined into its fiscal 2006 financial targets provided on 15 June 2006: The Company, in fact lowered its revenue target from originally $ 2.7 billion to a range of $ 2.56 to $ 2.60 billion.