Microsoft Bing search market share has increased to about 12% since it launched.  This is exciting for Microsoft considering Live.com didn’t do as well in fighting Google’s market share.

At a luncheon in Chicago last week, Steve Ballmer said that he was willing to spend 5%-10% of the company’s operating income over the next 5 years.

Microsoft’s operating income in 2008 was $22 billion.  That means that Microsoft would end up spending as high as $5.5-$11 billion over the next 5 years.  ”We invested in Xbox for years and now it generates nice economic returns for us,” added Ballmer.

[via Reuters]

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