First property listing, now Google have moved onto...

Back on the 23rd of July Google entered the online property listing business, much to the excitement of Estate Agents around the UK. Any member of the public with an internet connection can now search for properties through Google Maps and then click through to the originating Estate Agent website.

Now Google have decided to go in a different direction. They have bought ITA, a software company that deals with online pricing and availability for the travel industry.

The deal was an outstanding $700 million in cash and with sources claiming that Google is worth $35 billion, the deal could only be spare change to search giant.

The deal could see Google displaying flights and prices of flights across the U.S. Google have clarified their actions on a new web page stating that they are not:

• Setting prices
• Selling tickets
• Locking out competitors
• Changing market shares.

Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques comments, 'This has similar echoes of when Google entered the online property listing market, stating that they were not selling properties or trying to compete with property portals.'