22:02
Faizan
Google's ongoing evolution has created a strange dichotomy within the company. On one hand, the talent pool and brand authority that Google has accumulated over the years since its founding has created huge opportunities for each new product that it launches and an incredible amount of influence within the tech world. However, the company still faces risks, some of which are tied into privacy law and privacy concerns of its users.
Africa
Google is one of the few companies with the technological and financial resources to be first-in when it comes to emerging markets. That enables the tech giant to turn an eye towards Africa. Google is working hard and piloting projects to expand Internet access across the African continent. The company sees this as a dual opportunity. First, it has the opportunity to enrich the lives of the citizens of the continent by providing better access to the Internet. For example, this is being piloted in schools to provide students with greater access to educational resources. On the other hand, Google surely also sees this as a profit-creating venture. Advertising is the financial backbone of Google, and by penetrating first into a large new market like Africa, Google can eventually greatly increase the audience for -- and thus profit from -- its advertisers.
Android
The mobile operating system Android poses some risks to Google. Largely, this has to do with the way that Android phones are sold in certain emerging markets. Google's primary goals with Android were to ensure a presence in mobile and to gather more detailed consumer information so it could deliver even more precisely targeted advertising to more devices. However, according to a 2013 analysis on the Forbes website, potential problems with this model have cropped up. When countries like China, a huge emerging market, block access to most Google sites and services, for example, it limits the value Google gains from Android sales in that country.
Google Ideas
One of the greatest opportunities facing Google is the potential for it to become a force for good in the world all the while increasing its revenues and rolling out new technologies. Part of Google's charter says "don't be evil." Google Ideas is a branch of the company dedicated to finding ways to confront threats in the world through the collaborative use of technology. One initiative includes a program to try connecting all hotlines for human trafficking into a single network so that information could be seamlessly shared to better track and stop human traffickers.
Google Glass -- Risk and Opportunity
Google Glass has been one of the highest profile new developments for Google in 2013. These glasses are worn by the user and allow them to interact with the world around them in a number of different ways, including taking pictures and video and posting to social media, with a camera and computing device built in above the right eye. Some are excited about the opportunity represented by this product, which could potentially shift forever how the online and physical worlds are interconnected. However, this product also poses a risk because detractors see it as a huge threat to privacy. Governments around the world are also asking questions about how the new product will conform to privacy law and to Google's own privacy policies.
Africa
Google is one of the few companies with the technological and financial resources to be first-in when it comes to emerging markets. That enables the tech giant to turn an eye towards Africa. Google is working hard and piloting projects to expand Internet access across the African continent. The company sees this as a dual opportunity. First, it has the opportunity to enrich the lives of the citizens of the continent by providing better access to the Internet. For example, this is being piloted in schools to provide students with greater access to educational resources. On the other hand, Google surely also sees this as a profit-creating venture. Advertising is the financial backbone of Google, and by penetrating first into a large new market like Africa, Google can eventually greatly increase the audience for -- and thus profit from -- its advertisers.
Android
The mobile operating system Android poses some risks to Google. Largely, this has to do with the way that Android phones are sold in certain emerging markets. Google's primary goals with Android were to ensure a presence in mobile and to gather more detailed consumer information so it could deliver even more precisely targeted advertising to more devices. However, according to a 2013 analysis on the Forbes website, potential problems with this model have cropped up. When countries like China, a huge emerging market, block access to most Google sites and services, for example, it limits the value Google gains from Android sales in that country.
Google Ideas
One of the greatest opportunities facing Google is the potential for it to become a force for good in the world all the while increasing its revenues and rolling out new technologies. Part of Google's charter says "don't be evil." Google Ideas is a branch of the company dedicated to finding ways to confront threats in the world through the collaborative use of technology. One initiative includes a program to try connecting all hotlines for human trafficking into a single network so that information could be seamlessly shared to better track and stop human traffickers.
Google Glass -- Risk and Opportunity
Google Glass has been one of the highest profile new developments for Google in 2013. These glasses are worn by the user and allow them to interact with the world around them in a number of different ways, including taking pictures and video and posting to social media, with a camera and computing device built in above the right eye. Some are excited about the opportunity represented by this product, which could potentially shift forever how the online and physical worlds are interconnected. However, this product also poses a risk because detractors see it as a huge threat to privacy. Governments around the world are also asking questions about how the new product will conform to privacy law and to Google's own privacy policies.
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