undefined | Better HN

0 pointsXorlev4y ago0 comments

Most of Google is not dedicated towards building Ads, surfaces where ads are displayed, or collecting data for ads, despite popular perception.

0 comments

kevin_thibedeau4y ago

All that other stuff is a loss leader for selling ads.

XorlevOP4y ago

Sorry, but that's not correct. As a counterexample, Google Cloud is not a "loss leader for ads". The hardware division is not a loss leader for ads. There are a myriad of counterexamples.

A loss leader is a product which is used to acquire revenue through a different channel, such as game consoles which often sell at a loss on hardware to encourage game sales.

pabs34y ago

Doesn't the hardware produced by Google direct users towards Google services that contain advertising? Or are they producing non-consumer hardware?

1 more reply

Maken4y ago

There is a comic for that too.

https://goomics.net/70/

hiptobecubic4y ago

It used to be that way. Now there are several businesses that aren't just surfaces for ads. The productivity suite, cloud, etc

colinmhayes4y ago

Every google product exists to encourage people to see more ads, even if he product isn't showing the ads.

I encourage anyone to point to a google product that isn't either selling ads or trying to get people to spend more time on the internet so google can sell them more ads.

XorlevOP4y ago

Drive/Docs/Meet. Cloud. Nest. These are a few examples of (though far from the only) products completely orthogonal to ads.

QuercusMax4y ago

All of Verily, Calico, and Google Health, and Fit/FitBit.

The work I do on AI-based medical device infrastructure has nothing to do with ads.

paulcole4y ago

> Drive/Docs/Meet

How many people who are active users of these products Bing something when they need to look it up?

1 more reply

colinmhayes4y ago

Drive/docs absolutely contributes to google selling ads since it brings you to their home site.

I'll give you cloud and nest though.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

kevin_thibedeau4y ago

All that other stuff is a loss leader for selling ads.

XorlevOP4y ago

Sorry, but that's not correct. As a counterexample, Google Cloud is not a "loss leader for ads". The hardware division is not a loss leader for ads. There are a myriad of counterexamples.

A loss leader is a product which is used to acquire revenue through a different channel, such as game consoles which often sell at a loss on hardware to encourage game sales.

pabs34y ago

Doesn't the hardware produced by Google direct users towards Google services that contain advertising? Or are they producing non-consumer hardware?

1 more reply

Maken4y ago

There is a comic for that too.

https://goomics.net/70/

hiptobecubic4y ago

It used to be that way. Now there are several businesses that aren't just surfaces for ads. The productivity suite, cloud, etc

colinmhayes4y ago

Every google product exists to encourage people to see more ads, even if he product isn't showing the ads.

I encourage anyone to point to a google product that isn't either selling ads or trying to get people to spend more time on the internet so google can sell them more ads.

XorlevOP4y ago

Drive/Docs/Meet. Cloud. Nest. These are a few examples of (though far from the only) products completely orthogonal to ads.

QuercusMax4y ago

All of Verily, Calico, and Google Health, and Fit/FitBit.

The work I do on AI-based medical device infrastructure has nothing to do with ads.

paulcole4y ago

> Drive/Docs/Meet

How many people who are active users of these products Bing something when they need to look it up?

1 more reply

colinmhayes4y ago

Drive/docs absolutely contributes to google selling ads since it brings you to their home site.

I'll give you cloud and nest though.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse