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 Messages could get a dedicated spot to see all media from your chats
a familiar facelift Google Messages might soon drop a media hub to quickly spot everything shared in a chat.
Google Meet now lets you share content straight from an external camera
Present your Way Google Meet's latest update brought external camera support and presentation enhancements.
Google Pixel's Call Notes recording disclaimer could be going away soon
Stealth mode The Google Pixel 9 can use the Call Notes feature to record and summarize phone calls, but an update might make it less transparent in the future.
Latest Google Messages beta brings its Expressive redesign to more users
More Colorful Google Messages was spotted rolling out its M3 Expressive updates to beta users.
Google upgrades Gemini 2.5 Pro preview model, with a stable release coming
Early access Gemini 2.5 Pro is currently available in preview, and there's now yet another upgraded version available, with a public release in the coming weeks.
Google Chrome's latest Speedometer 3 score smashes old loading time records
Blazing Speeds Google detailed Chrome's recent browsing performance on the Speedometer 3 test.
Looks like the Google Pixel 10 is bringing the end of wobbly footage
buttery-smooth video The Pixel 10’s video might be so steady, your gimbal could collect dust.
Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1.1 is here to squash a ton of Pixel bugs for testers
Bug fixes Android 16 QPR1 is already available for beta testers, and Google is now rolling out the first small patch of the quarterly release with numerous bug fixes.
Google Translate might shake up its design to make room for big upgrades
Understanding the Language Google Translate app's code reportedly showcased an upcoming design change to fit new upgrades.
Google Drive introduces new Gemini-powered 'Catch Me Up' feature
Catch me up New Gemini "Catch Me Up" feature in Google Drive provides AI-powered summaries of file changes and comments, ensuring users remain informed.
Emerging online scams are making users more vigilant, says Google
Stay Alert Google detailed its latest survey with Morning Consult about the changes in online user behavior and scams.
Public Notebooks are coming to NotebookLM for easy sharing and studying
Study help NotebookLM is making shared study help more accessible with public notebooks, which are ways to share view-only experiences with others.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Form factor or function?
Slim showdown The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge comes with an unreal form factor, but plenty of compromises too. For the same price, is the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL better?
YouTube is testing a leaderboard to show off top live stream fans
superfan leaderboard The most engaged live stream viewers on YouTube are getting their own leaderboard.
What is Project Astra? Gemini Live, Android XR, and everything else you need to know
Universal AI Name an exciting new Google AI feature, and it probably started as Project Astra. But what exactly is it? Let's find out.
Google might have a better 'Now Playing' experience for Pixels coming
What song is that? Google was reported to have an improved "Now Playing" experience/button on the way for Pixels.
The Pixel 10's ringtone, alerts and alarms have slipped out online
new beeps and boops Someone spilled the beans on Pixel 10's new ringtone and system sounds.
Gmail will now automatically turn your long emails into quick reads using Gemini
cutting the fluff Gmail is using Gemini to auto-summarize your messages, though you can disable it.
