My prediction for Google

[Miramonti]

Google is less about services and more about being a Doubleclick on hyper-steroids.

 

[Shlong]

They're doing fine now, why change. They make a lot of money from those ads & they can eventually expand into other markets like Yahoo has.

 

[vegetation]

You don't seem to understand how their structure is now. It's the advertising where the money is at. Googleads are overrunning the entire web and guess who's getting the shaft: the individual websites with less ad income flowing in vs the ad structure they had pre-google. Most large content websites are not happy with google at all.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MommysLittleMonster
I doubt anyone would pay a buck to use a search engine. Google would lose money to advertisers due to their decrease in usage.

Listen, I understand that. Try to think more than one step ahead, here. Google recently went public, and now you have the unwashed masses gaining control of the company. Combine Google's stronghold in the internet search market with public control, and I think that this is what might happen.

I know the company's mantra is "don't be evil", but I think the average shareholder said, "screw that, I want to make myself rich".

The fact is, the average joe isn't going to sign up with a credit card to pay $1 a month for Google. It's not the money, it's the hassle.

 

[PlatinumGold]

actually, now to play devils advocate, there is a precedent to support the OP's position.

Newspapers. everyone knows that the NY Times does not live and die on the subscription income, actually, i don't think the NY Times sees even one dime of the subscription fee, it all goes to distribution.

of course the NY Times and any local newspaper makes ALL their money on Ads and not on the subscription fee.

IF google could increase their market and make delivery better by charging a subscription fee, then yes, they will do so.

for eg. anandtech forums used to have separate servers for subscribers, google could possibly do something like that, same content for both sides but one side is subscription based and has more servers dedicated to it for those that HAVE to have the fastest possible search results.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

If google charged maybe $10 a year or even $20 a year for a group of services including search engine, no ads in email, no sponsored results in searches, etc. I would GLADLY pay it

 

[imported_malcontent]

Google makes most of their money from all the government agencies they sell all our secrets to. They have to keep it free, else we would not use Google, and their source data would disappear..:evil:

 

[konichiwa]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MommysLittleMonster
I doubt anyone would pay a buck to use a search engine. Google would lose money to advertisers due to their decrease in usage.

Listen, I understand that. Try to think more than one step ahead, here. Google recently went public, and now you have the unwashed masses gaining control of the company. Combine Google's stronghold in the internet search market with public control, and I think that this is what might happen.

I know the company's mantra is "don't be evil", but I think the average shareholder said, "screw that, I want to make myself rich".

The fact is, the average joe isn't going to sign up with a credit card to pay $1 a month for Google. It's not the money, it's the hassle.

wrong

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

You need to read abouth the Google Search Appliance whcih is insane ... and runs a custom version of Linux.

I think in the future, you are going to see Google spear head hte networked home. You'll see the web appliance and things like that. They'll make the wireless hoem a reality. NOT MICROSOFT, thank god.

But this is pure speculation.

 

[So]

My prediction: Google United States, that way, they can be funded by Google Taxes (beta).

 

[Wahsapa]

if youre trying to think one step ahead for google...

well, im pretty sure google has that and the next 5 steps covered

edit:

Originally posted by: konichiwa

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MommysLittleMonster
I doubt anyone would pay a buck to use a search engine. Google would lose money to advertisers due to their decrease in usage.

Listen, I understand that. Try to think more than one step ahead, here. Google recently went public, and now you have the unwashed masses gaining control of the company. Combine Google's stronghold in the internet search market with public control, and I think that this is what might happen.

I know the company's mantra is "don't be evil", but I think the average shareholder said, "screw that, I want to make myself rich".

The fact is, the average joe isn't going to sign up with a credit card to pay $1 a month for Google. It's not the money, it's the hassle.

wrong

sweet link...

 

[SagaLore]

That would be stupid if they did that. Much of their revenue is through adsense, and if searching isn't free to everyone, then they would kill that revenue generator.

Then MSN and Yahoo would dominate the search engine market.

Besides, they do sell their index to other search engines, and they sell an appliance for corporate use, and various other things.

I think Google's ultimate goal will be a new Operating System. They'll set it for $20 a license and it will rule the world!

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
As a lot of people have pointed out, Google makes great software, in particular search software. They have the best search engine, mapping software, image search software, desktop search software, etc. They've pretty much cornered the search market, and they've been giving away all of this great stuff away for free.

As a publicly traded company, everyone knows it's not in their best interest to give their products away for free. They've stuck around this long, and they've done it by being smart. They have no intention of being another dot com company that goes bust due to lack of income.

I think their long term plan is Google as a service. After nearly everyone is accustomed to using their search products, they'll make it subscription based. You can either look elsewhere for various different search utilities, or you can pay Google a small amount (maybe $1 a month) to use its high quality search software that encompasses just about everything. They'll be your one-stop shop for everything internet search related.

Any opinions on this? They'll need to generate income somehow, and I don't think the way they currently have it set up is their final plan.

try to think inside your box...most of google is not free. Try adwords for example.

 

[HamSupLo]

I can see what the OP is saying. They may not charge for their services now, but Google will be under pressure in the future to deliver increasing earnings and profits to Wall Street. That's when we will see some bone headed moves that will contradict the company's original vision.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
I can see what the OP is saying. They may not charge for their services now, but Google will be under pressure in the future to deliver increasing earnings and profits to Wall Street. That's when we will see some bone headed moves that will contradict the company's original vision.

Exactly. I think the IPO is the beginning of this. While the original owners had a vision and direction for the company, it seems inevitable that the shareholders will eventually gain control of the company.

We all know Google itself is a smart company, but it seems that when you have shareholders gain control of the company, the decisions are made by committe and every decision will break down to the lowest common denominator. On Wall Street, that is always money. They may have started out as saying "don't be evil", but I think the shareholders couldn't care less about that. They want to see maximum quarterly earnings, even if that means shooting themselves in the foot in the long run.

 

[Kalbi]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: MommysLittleMonster
I doubt anyone would pay a buck to use a search engine. Google would lose money to advertisers due to their decrease in usage.

Listen, I understand that. Try to think more than one step ahead, here. Google recently went public, and now you have the unwashed masses gaining control of the company. Combine Google's stronghold in the internet search market with public control, and I think that this is what might happen.

I know the company's mantra is "don't be evil", but I think the average shareholder said, "screw that, I want to make myself rich".

Trust me shareholder's won't make google charge. It's not about being greedy, it's about making good business decisions. No institutional holder will pressure such a stupid act.

 

[MagicConch]

It would be interesting if they did that. I think selling information in any form will become more and more difficult with time though.

 

[chrisms]

When Henry P. Google founded his company in 1996, he issued a statement declaring that his service would "always be free to use as the world wide web was meant to be." It is unlikely that now, even as he approaches his 93rd birthday, he will break his promise to the loyal users who have been supporting him since the beginning.

 

[91TTZ]

lol

 

[SeaMonki]

i would say real estate listings with fees is next for google.com

 

[scorpmatt]

google, like microsoft, bought alot of its software

 

[MisterCornell]

Their company is solidly profitable as it is.

My long term prediction is that someone will come out wiith a better search algorithm, and then google will be really fscked.

 

[tami]

where do you get free stuff from google? i want to sign up.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: tami
where do you get free stuff from google? i want to sign up.

Here you go:

www.google.com

Someone programmed all that software and it wasn't me. However, I could download it (legally) and not pay for it. It's free.

 

[Bumrush99]

91TTZ, you are on the right track but are focused on the wrong methods that google will use. Microsoft is TERRIFIED of what google has up its sleeve, they have been hiring software engineers and coders by the bucketload and the fear at Microsoft is that google is looking to create their own O/S or expand their business line to include more software that can be charged as a service yearly or sold out of the box.