What you need to know
- Google is opening its .new domain to companies and organizations.
- The URL should engage a useful action or task.
- Spotify, Medium, Cisco Webex already own domains.
Google is opening its top-level .new domain for companies and organizations that wish to create a shortcut initiated from a simple URL. Currently, Google uses .new for its Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps. Typing docs.new into your Web address bar will open a new Google Docs page immediately. Google is now extending this domain to other organizations to create similar capabilities.
Presumably, this will create a gold rush on simple URLs for .new domains, and Google has already set aside some key word choices with questionable connections. Playlist.new opens a new Spotify playlist. Good that Google did not favor its own Google Music for antitrust purposes, but it is curious that these actions are so tied to specific services.
Story.new creates a new story on Medium. Invoice.new works with the Stripe service. Music.new, surely a valuable domain brand, is tied to ... Ovo Sound?! What is Ovo Sound?! A list of the currently-available shortcuts can be found on Google's blog post for the new domain scam.
Pricing for the domains is not explicitly listed, but among its FAQ, Google includes the question "Why are .new domains priced at such a high cost?" For the answer, go to cashcow.new.
Make a .new playlist from your browser
If you want to try one of Google's new .new domains, head to playlist.new (in a supported browser) and Spotify will start a new playlist for you! So you'll probably want to make sure you're signed up for Spotify first.
