Microsoft's announcement on Tuesday to offer a free anti-malware product, code-named Morro, won't result in a dramatic change in how some security companies do business.
Morro will be available in the second half of 2009 and will protect against viruses, spyware, rootkits and Trojans, according to Microsoft.
Rowan Trollope, senior vice president of Symantec's consumer business, characterised the announcement as a "capitulation by Microsoft, and a reinforcement of the notion that it's simply not in Microsoft's DNA to provide high-quality, frequently updated security protection."
Trollope said in an email statement: "Consumers have already rejected OneCare even though it entered the market at a lower price, because OneCare offered substandard protection and poor performance as evidenced by scores of third-party reviews... Making a significantly scaled-back version of that same substandard security technology free won't change that equation."
Trollope suggested the Microsoft "OneCare-light" offering could pose an increased risk to consumers. He added: "Our research clearly indicates that, after effective protection, what consumers care most about in a security product is performance. OneCare is widely recognised as one of the most egregious offenders in hogging system resources."
On Tuesday, Amy Barzdukas, senior director of product management for the Online Services and Windows Division at Microsoft, dismissed similar criticism from McAfee. "If the current approach isn't working... [in terms of protecting consumers broadly] we need to go with a new approach," she said.
A representative for AVG Technologies, maker of AVG Antivirus, told ZDNet UK's sister site, CNET News.com, on Wednesday: "We view this as a positive step for the AV [antivirus] landscape. AVG has believed in the right to free antivirus software for the past eight years."
The company said it will be "business as usual" and doesn't plan to make any changes to its own product offerings as a result. "Based on what Microsoft is planning to deliver, we don't feel the need to make any changes to our free product at this time," the company said.
Asked if AVG had any advice for Microsoft, the company said "consumers will use a free product if it's robust and it protects them. The product has to be easy to use, fast, unobtrusive, and be able to address the latest web threats."
Alex Eckelberry, chief executive of Sunbelt Software, maker of Vipre Antivirus + Antispyware, said the move to get out of a profitable business appears to be a capitulation on Microsoft's part. "This gives them a chance to do something altruistic while getting out of an unattractive business," he said. He noted that Microsoft will still be selling Microsoft Forefront, a collection of business security products.
Eckelberry said there remain two questions: one, how exactly will Microsoft distribute the product (will it consider bundling it with Windows 7)? And two, will the company make the application available through enterprise group policy management?
Ultimately, AVG said, the market still needs to be educated. "Microsoft will have to do more than simply make the product available," the AVG representative said.
CNET News.com's Elinor Mills contributed to this report.
