Google is a search company.
OK, Google started as a search company in 1998, when Sergey Brin and Larry Page were doctoral students at Stanford. And fifteen years later? Google is a verb. That's how ingrained it's become into our lexicon, as well as into our lives. If you want to know something, you "Google" it.
On August 10, 2015, Google became part of the umbrella company, Alphabet, with Sundar Pichai taking charge as CEO. The announcement came as a surprise to everyone when it was dropped on Google's blog by Larry Page.
Of course, Google is so much more now. It's an advertising company (which still provides the bulk of its revenue). It's a video-hosting company, with YouTube. It's a social network, with Google+. It's a mobile company, with Android. It's leading the wearables revolution with Google Glass and Android Wear. Google's making inroads into enterprise with its web-based infrastructures, to the point where municipal governments and private businesses alike are ditching the server racks for the cloud. It's seeking to change the way we use computers with its not-quite-a-thin-client Chromebooks.
And that was just the first 15 years.
Where will Google go next? That's a question many of us can't wait to see answered. And, understandably, it's a question many are wary of. Is Google too big? Is it too powerful? Does it know too much? Is it doing the right things for the right reasons? Or is it just trying to become as rich and powerful as it possibly can? Those are all fair questions, and ones that Google should ask itself, and ones that we as its customers should continue to it.
Latest about Google
Google I/O 2026 Live Blog updates: Android 17, Android XR glasses, Gemini AI news
Live Blog Google I/O is happening on May 19 and Android Central is following everything that is going to be announced. Follow our Live Blog to learn about all the news!
5 important Gemini updates from Google I/O that could genuinely save you time
Gemini takeover From AI shopping carts to smarter Search and Gmail, Gemini is now deeply integrated across Google.
Google’s new $100 AI plan wants to turn Gemini into a full productivity machine
Upgrades across the board Google is turning Gemini into a premium AI ecosystem with pricier power-user tiers, smarter tools, and usage limits that now feel a lot like AI surge pricing.
Google thinks Gemini 3.5 Flash can finally make AI agents more useful
Speed plus smarts Google’s Gemini 3.5 Flash is built to handle complex AI tasks faster, pushing Gemini beyond chatbots and deeper into full-blown AI agent territory.
Google's new Gemini features will take all the annoying busywork off your plate
Let AI handle it Google adds Daily Brief, desktop app upgrades to Gemini, and gives us a preview of Android Halo.
Planning a wedding? Google's new Gemini Spark AI agents might actually help
Assistant reboot Google announced Gemini Spark, a new proactive AI agent powered by Gemini 3.5 Flash that can automate tasks across apps and services.
Google is giving Search its biggest overhaul in 25 years
Conversations replace queries Google just turned Search into an AI-powered assistant that chats, books, tracks, and monitors the web for you.
Samsung, Google merge fashion and AI for 'Intelligent Eyewear' with Gentle Monster, Warby Parker
Looking good Samsung and Google partner to announce "Intelligent Eyewear," a new venture for glasses that brings style to AI technology.
Tired of video editing? Google’s Gemini Omni changes scenes when you ask
Conversational editing Google’s Gemini Omni turns AI video creation into a conversation, but while the tools look powerful, spotting what’s real online may soon get a lot harder.
Forget CamelCamelCamel: Google's new Universal Cart will track prices and find deals for you
AI x online shopping Google's new Universal Cart tracks prices, stock changes, and deals across multiple retailers automatically.
Google Play is getting a huge AI upgrade with Ask Play and Play Shorts
Play gets smarter Google announced a wave of Google Play updates, including Ask Play AI search, Play Shorts, and Gemini app discovery.
This Google AI tool can now build Android apps from text prompts
Create apps Google AI Studio can now generate native Android apps from prompts, complete with emulator testing and Play Console integration.
Google could fix the absolute worst thing about passkeys on Android
escape hatch Google may finally let Android users move passkeys between password managers, fixing one of the biggest headaches with the passwordless future.
Pixel Watch owners say sleep tracking is broken again (Updated)
a frustrating pattern Pixel Watch users are dealing with another Fitbit bug, as sleep stats vanish from the watch itself even though the data still shows up in the Fitbit app.
Here's your first look at more of Google's new 3D emojis for Android 17
Emojis leak A new leak has shown us some more of Google's upcoming 3D emoji designs for Android 17.
Best Google Pixel phones
Pixel Perfect Google makes some of the most exciting phones you can get in the world of Android. Here are some of the best Google Pixel phones you should consider.
Google I/O 2026: How to stream and what to expect from the event
How to tune in Here's how to watch Google I/O 2026 live, including the YouTube streaming link and what to expect from Gemini, XR, and more announcements.
Google just turned your Pixel 10 into a phone that thinks ahead for you
It learns your life Google’s new Android feature wants to predict your next move with on-device AI, making phones smarter, more proactive, and maybe just a little too nosy.
