The European antitrust dispute over Internet Explorer keeps getting more interesting: Google today said it will seek status as a third party in the case, which revisits a central issue in Microsoft's landmark U.S. case by challenging the company's inclusion of its Web browser in Windows.

In a blog post announcing the move, Google's Sundar Pichai said the company believes its experience launching its Chrome browser gives it a valuable perspective to add to the debate. The company, he wrote, "believes that the browser market is still largely uncompetitive, which holds back innovation for users." He continued:

"This is because Internet Explorer is tied to Microsoft's dominant computer operating system, giving it an unfair advantage over other browsers. Compare this to the mobile market, where Microsoft cannot tie Internet Explorer to a dominant operating system, and its browser therefore has a much lower usage. The value of competition for users (even in the limited form we see today) is clear: tabbed browsing, faster downloads, private browsing features, and more. Even greater competition will drive more innovation within browsers themselves - as well as in web design, enabling sites to load faster and offer new kinds of interactive tools and applications."

The search company, which last year released the Chrome browser, would join Mozilla as a third party if it's granted that status. The primary company pursuing the case is Opera Software, maker of the Opera browser.

Microsoft hasn't commented on Google's announcement. Speaking with analysts earlier this morning, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer happened to point out that IE's market share has slipped, saying the company is looking to the upcoming release of IE8 to help it regain traction.

Previously: Opera CEO on antitrust battle against Internet Explorer.