Today, I just realized I hadn’t heard of any acquisition news from Google for the past few months. So I set out Googling for some Google news. My expedition led me to wiki page showing around 53 acquisitions of Google since 2001. Hmm, interesting stuff to read. It also gives information about the usage of that acquisition product. Google hasn’t acquired any company to do its product development, instead it has acquired products that can fit in it’s business portfolio. Trivial, isn’t it? You purchase those things that suite your current and future needs, be it an individual need or a business need. If you look at the application suite offered by Google, can you guess what Google is trying to do?
While searching for the acquisitions, I also came across pages saying ‘Google taking over the world’ and what not. I decided to investigate. In all its acquisitions, I see a peculiar taste of Google. Google’s taste is that of people, a huge people base, what you call as user base. Now go back to each application Google has offered, either by developing or through take over. Each application has a huge user base of its own and combined offers new horizons to google’s existing user base. But what kind of user base is this? I found that Google’s user base comprises predominantly of those people who want to communicate with others or get information from others on internet through self service. Yes, it is self service; these users are using the applications, and their own intellect, to get their jobs done. Google is just acting as a service provider for this purpose. It is providing them the infrastructure required for communication, or information retrieval. Let’s take an example of Google Search, specialized search, Orkut, Gmail, YouTube, Bloggers, and now the Chrome browser. Even the users of mobile technology are now included. Everywhere the user base is huge and they are using Google service to get their jobs done.
But how would that help google’s business? Google’s not here for social service. Ah! Of course through advertising!! The revenue may be a tiny amount per user, but when you have entire world as your user base, then just imagine the multiplication factor and amount of revenue.
Now can we guess what would be next shopping item of Google, which will integrate large number of new users with this Google user’s existing family, to whom Google can present the ads or other products and generate revenue? Think! think!!
Just take a look at the very familiar screen below

Now if you look at the number of acquisitions in the past one year and compare those with previous years, it is clearly visible that the count has gone down. Does that mean, Google is not able to find such products that are attracting huge number of people? Is it recession that is hitting such moves? Or has Google stopped launching products that are developed in its Google labs? You tell me!
I am sure you and me are part of this group already. So Happy searching, photo sharing, video sharing, blogging, and now even browsing!!! don’t forget to leave in your answers!