This Decade's Microsoft
Google has been described as everything from “big brother” to “the evil empire” for the way it seemingly wants to participate in every aspect of our lives. Last week the Internet giant came a little closer to that goal by acquiring Grand Central, a service that allows users to sign up for one phone number they can keep for their entire life. That number would forward calls to any of their other phones (home, work, cell, etc…) and save their voicemails, contact list, and a plethora of other information online.
While this may be a brilliant business move and could potentially revolutionize the way people communicate, I wonder how long it will be before customers push back. Most are willing to give up some of their privacy and anonymity for added convenience, but some will say the company has gone too far.
Microsoft experienced the backlash for its attempts to force customers to use Internet Explorer and Office software, the same way telecom companies and Wal-Mart are hated for their ubiquity in the marketplace. Google has been feeding off the contempt for companies like these by offering free tools, but has it become the monopolistic giant it aimed to replace? By purchasing start-ups that show innovation and promise, and adding them to the Google palette of products, is the company giving customers what they want, or stifling competition?
I’ll grant that most of Google’s products are convenient and are updated constantly, and I use many of them daily. But is this what customers want, or do they just not realize what’s happening until their only choices are to use Google’s products or be left behind? And does Google care, or have to care?
