Get to Know Google’s Alphabet Empire: Google X, DeepMind, Nest, Youtube and More
Google is now a subsection of a bigger tech umbrella called Alphabet. This umbrella company is still founded and created by Google’s founders, but this company has a bigger scope.
Alphabet’ website has an open letter to the users from the founders of Google. Larry Page, Google Founder, wrote that they have aimed to create smaller bets in different areas of technological advancement. Page said that even in the very beginning, they have always tried to do more and expand their reach.
Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one.
Page said that Google has already ventured out in developing seemingly “crazy” ideas at the time, but these ideas turned out to be massive online platforms like Google Maps, YouTube, Android, and Chrome, which now have more than a billion users. The good thing is, they do not intend to stop here.
With bigger corporations getting comfortable with achieved success, Page said this is not applicable in the technology industry “where revolutionary ideas drive the next big growth areas.”
Though Google is on the stable part of the spectrum, Page and the partners of Google believe they can still improve. That is why they created Alphabet.
What is Alphabet?
According to Page, this is what Alphabet is:
Alphabet is mostly a collection of companies. The largest of which, of course, is Google…Fundamentally, we believe this allows us more management scale, as we can run things independently that aren’t very related. Alphabet is about businesses prospering through strong leaders and independence.
Alphabet, basically, is the head of all Google ventures. However, this time, there will be clearer distinctions between Google businesses and products.
As Artstechnica noted, Alphabet encompasses the following Google ventures: Google X, Sidewalk Labs, Google Capital, Calico, Nest, DeepMind, Access and Energy, Verily, GV and Google. Google has its own subsections, which include ATAP, Ads, Android, Apps, Maps, Search Infrastructure, and YouTube.
DeepMind is Google’s artificial intelligence sector that will report under Alphabet. Sidewalk Labs is Alphabet’s sector that will tackle urban innovation that aims to improve city life with the use of technology.
Page said Sidewalk Labs will be “developing and incubating urban technologies to address issues like cost of living, efficient transportation, and energy usage.”
Verily, on the other hand, is Alphabet’s Life Sciences sector. Verily culminates in a diverse team of chemists, engineers and scientists to create and develop advanced research on health and diseases. The advantage of Verily over other research institution would be Google’s “large scale computing power.”
Google X is a subsidiary of Alphabet which handles advanced research on technology.
Slimmer Google
New Google CEO Sundar Pichai stepped in last October 2015. He used to be the Product Chief at Google and was promoted as the Alphabet was reconstructed.
Page praised Sundar on his note on the Alphabet’s main site. He said that they were fortunate to have a talented man like him handling the “slightly slimmed down Google.”
Though Google has become more focused on internet-based products and services, Page said that the company itself is making “all sorts of new products.”
Google has just launched Google Photos and Google Now. Google Photos is a new photo collection by Google. It is somehow similar to Picasa but it has a simpler interface.
Google Now is “an intelligent personal assistant developed by Google.” Google Now answers questions, makes recommendations and other requests online. It can be integrated with Instacart, Feedly and Kayak.
With this more streamlined operations, Page and Sergey are both excited for the “new chapter in the life of Google.” As for the unique name of the company, Page said they are still adjusting.
[New Google CEO Sundar Pitchai. Image Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File]
