Google and Ambient Computing – Stratechery by Ben Thompson

This view of Googles offering is intriguing, but the big problem I see is the surveillance-based business model.

Google has a business model problem. Yes, per the previous point, being a continuous presence in people’s lives will bring in even more data for ever more finely targeted advertisements, but there is no place for advertising in ambient computing generally.

Thompson goes on to highlight that they could just use the huge margins from search and advertising to pay for this without a business model. It’s amazing how similar Google is to Microsoft of the past. Microsoft could fund anything with Windows and Office, and I don't think that was really helpful for them.

Also, I completely agree with Thompson's assertion that they need to make their events better.

One thing Google can absolutely work on is their messaging: I found yesterday’s presentation dreadfully boring, and only picked up on what Google was trying to convey on a second viewing.

😴