Google and salesforce.com unveil joint development

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Analysts have welcomed the first fruits of the alliance between the two industry giants.

"Some may see this as an anti-climax, but clearly this is just a first step and there will be further steps," said David Bradshaw, principal analyst at Ovum.

"Google and salesforce aren't saying what's next on their roadmap, though with a six-month development cycle, there clearly must be more coming. Instead, salesforce is asking its customers to tell it what they would like to see via its Ideas Exchange. Meanwhile, for those who are keen to get on with developing their own stuff, salesforce has given access to the Google Adwords APIs via its Apex programming environment."

Bradshaw added: "But as a first step in a long programme, the SKEFGA makes perfect sense. In an age when the web is becoming key to success in almost any market, making it easier for smaller companies to buy, use and monitor returns from Google Adwords is a very positive development.

These types of companies will generally not have the technical or marketing skills to do it on their own. We therefore welcome this joint product from salesforce and Google and look forward to more of the same."

(Additional reporting by Shailesh Kuber in Bangalore and Maggie Holland, IT PRO)

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