This. Exactly. Google enjoys a natural monopoly (or in my view, a non-monopoly) in search because they continue to earn the most business there, not because they have eliminated viable alternatives.
Same with webmail. And maps. And other things. They just provide services that work and are optimized for usability, not for trying to upsell you something. I believe they deserve that natural monopoly for doing what they are (as long as they continue this course).
