Microsoft mulls Yahoo search partnership
- Added:
- Nov 20, 2008
Microsoft has ruled out buying Yahoo, but is considering collaborating with the firm on internet search.
In a statement at the firm's annual general meeting yesterday, Steve Ballmer Microsoft chief executive, said: "we are done with all acquisition discussions with Yahoo".
Yahoo rejected Microsoft's $47.5bn (£32bn) bid and later rebuffed an offer for the search engine alone, but the resignation of Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang earlier this week prompted renewed hopes over a possible tie-up.
However, Ballmer was quick to dismiss this speculation. "I've said that a bunch of times. Somehow some people have gotten confused nonetheless. We thought we had something that made sense. It didn't make sense to them. We've moved on,” He said.
Microsoft has said that it was still interested in pursuing a search deal with Yahoo, and Ballmer reiterated that on Wednesday.
"There's no active discussion on that front. But we'd be very open to it. But acquisition discussions are finished," Balmer added.