Google CEO Eric Schmidt says the search giant will launch new tools on YouTube and, after a successful preliminary advertising partnership, he has reason to talk to Yahoo some more.MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Reuters) - Google Inc expects to launch new
products for its YouTube Web video service in the next few months and
sees reason for closer cooperation with Yahoo Inc, Google Chief
Executive Eric Schmidt said on Thursday.
Schmidt has said getting the video sharing site to make money is the
Web search company's top priority for the year. He did not give details
of the products, however, and they are not even in initial, or beta,
testing.
At the company's annual shareholder meeting, Google co- founder
Sergey Brin said YouTube and DoubleClick, an online advertising company
bought by Google earlier this year for $3.1 billion, are still small
businesses compared with its core search and advertising business.
"They both have potential, but for it to be a sizable part of our
revenue, you're going to have to wait at least a couple of years," said
Brin in response to a question about when those acquisitions would make
a significant contribution to the company's bottom line.
Google bought YouTube for $1.6 billion in 2006.
The Web search leader played a large role in the takeover battle
between Microsoft Corp and Yahoo. During a two-week test, it sold
search advertisements on rival Yahoo last month as part of Yahoo's
attempt to find an alternative option to Microsoft's offer.
Schmidt said the trial run provided good reason for the companies to discuss cooperation, but there was no deal yet.
"We view the test as successful," he told reporters before the Web
company's annual meeting. "That's a good basis to talk to Yahoo some
more."
The Google CEO, speaking later at the shareholder meeting, said the
company will continue to growth faster outside of its home market.
Google generated 51 percent of its revenue outside the United States in
the March quarter, but Schmidt said he expects that figure to grow over
time.
Without giving a specific time frame, Schmidt said he expects 65
percent of Google's revenue to come from abroad. Eventually, non-U.S.
revenue could be even higher.
Google co-founders Brin and Larry Page also fielded a request from
one shareholder who asked the pair not to split the company's stock,
which closed at $583 on the Nasdaq.
"I think that's the first time we've had that request," Page said with a chuckle.
Brin played the straight man: "We have had no problem honoring that
thus far and I don't expect that anything will change in that respect."
(Reporting by Adam Tanner and Daisuke Wakabayashi in Seattle; Editing by Braden Reddall and Andre Grenon)
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