Understanding Google ⇥ stratechery.com

Ben Thompson:

For Google, it is Chrome that fits this focus on a multi-screen world. Chrome shouldn’t be thought of as a web browser; rather, it’s an optimized bi-directional delivery vehicle: the best experience with Google services for users, and maximum user data for Google. And it runs everywhere. This is why Google has been investing millions of dollars in building the Chrome brand for some time now.

Android, on the other hand, enables several of those verticals, and keeps Apple honest in phones especially; however, by virtue of the hardware world it lives in, it’s not the best vehicle for reaching all users, and Google is fine with that.

Compare this against Dr. Drang’s “Free” from earlier this year. Both are along similar lines, but Thompson’s piece benefits from the fleshing out provided by Google’s event on Wednesday.

The idea that Android, for Google, has become an afterthought, or is worthy of less focus, is particularly interesting. Thompason provides ample justification for this (probably controversial) thought, and I agree with what he’s written. There’s been speculation, too, that Google is looking to merge (or better-integrate) Chrome OS and Android; there’s also been speculation that Andy Rubin left the Android team for reasons of Google’s focus.