To celebrate 10 years of Creator Weekly, I’m sharing tech highlights from 2015 that still resonate 10 years later. This update was for the week ending August 15, 2015.
Page said at the time, “This
newer Google is a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are pretty far
afield of our main internet products contained in Alphabet instead.”
Other Alphabet companies include Waymo self-driving cars, Wing drone delivery, Google Fiber, Calico health and aging, and several others.
Page became the CEO of Alphabet, with Brin the President of the company. They would be the "big picture" leaders of the company.
Top: Older Google Logo "for the desktop".
Bottom: Mobile-friendly 2015 Google logo.
The new logo is designed for “a world of seamless computing across an endless number of devices and different kinds of inputs”. The new design worked even on the "tiniest screens".
But while both Alphabet and Google are profitable, the question is if the company needs to
make changes again and perhaps make more daring decisions.
Ten years ago this week a brand new company, Alphabet, was announced, with Google as a subsidiary, along with a new CEO.
Alphabet is Born
On August 10, 2015 Google announced a new corporate structure was in the works. Alphabet was a new holding company, and Google would be just one of a number of subsidiary companies.
Google was founded in 1998, by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The company had been lead by Eric Schmidt until 2011, when Page took over as CEO.
Over the years, Google branched out into many different technologies, moving far beyond its origins as a search company. This reorganization meant Google could be a bit more focused.
Other Alphabet companies include Waymo self-driving cars, Wing drone delivery, Google Fiber, Calico health and aging, and several others.
Google Is Just a Subsidiary?
With the launch of Alphabet, Sundar Pichai was promoted to be the new CEO of Google. He had been the Senior Vice President for Products and lead the announcements at Google I/O in May, so he wasn’t a surprising choice.Page became the CEO of Alphabet, with Brin the President of the company. They would be the "big picture" leaders of the company.
But that didn't last.
In 2019 Page and Brin stepped down, and Pichai became the CEO of both Alphabet and Google. With the same leadership, it certainly doesn't quite feel like Google is "just" a subsidiary.
New Logo Goes Beyond The Desktop
Top: Older Google Logo "for the desktop".
Bottom: Mobile-friendly 2015 Google logo.
Google also redesigned their logo. The original was built for a single desktop browser page.
The new logo is designed for “a world of seamless computing across an endless number of devices and different kinds of inputs”. The new design worked even on the "tiniest screens".
Mobile devices were on the rise especially among the folks Google considered their "Next Billion Users”. People would see the new Google logo on their phones, VR devices, in their cars, on smart watches and TVs.
And it did feel like Google was getting a fresh start. Google+, the company focus for several years, was pared back. Google Photos was a hit. YouTube launched new platforms for Kids, Gaming and (soon) Music.There were new services like Google Fi.
And it did feel like Google was getting a fresh start. Google+, the company focus for several years, was pared back. Google Photos was a hit. YouTube launched new platforms for Kids, Gaming and (soon) Music.There were new services like Google Fi.
The View from 2025
Since 2015 Google has faced serious challenges. Legal issues, of course. The COVID-driven shift to work from home and then hybrid work. And now the push for AI integration in everything.
But the company is much the same. Pichai is still leading both Google and Alphabet. The logo hasn't been updated (despite a more AI-like version spotted a few months ago).
References
Larry Page on the Google Blog, 10 August 2015: G is for Google
Reuters, 10 August 2015: New Google CEO Pichai made ascent with low-key style and technical chops
Alphabet Investor Relations, 2015: Google Announces Plans for New Operating Structure
Google Blog, 1 September 2015: Google's Look, Evolved
Reuters, 4 December 2019: Google co-founders step aside as Pichai takes helm of parent Alphabet
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