CC image courtesy of brionv on Flickr
Google celebrated its 15th birthday this week, and now generates more than three billion searches every month.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded the internet giant in 1998, and it is the world’s number one search engine.
It was originally called BackRub, but eventually settled on the name Google in 1997, a misspelling of the name “googol” which has become synonymous with internet searching today and is used as a verb in its own right.
From the garage-based firm, Google has grown over the 15 years into the world’s number one player, branching into other areas and creating products such as Google Maps, Street View and the operating system (OS) Android.
With 70 offices across the globe, Google’s position today is undisputed.
However, industry experts say that how long Google can stay on the top will depend on its ability to set the pace in innovation.
Joseph Lampel, professor of strategy at Cass Business School, City University London, said: “I am not surprised they have survived this far but if you’re asking if they will survive until they are 25 or 30, that’s another question,” reports E&T.
“Google might not be able to maintain their level of dominance, if the industry opens up to competitors.”
Lampel reiterated that especially Asian-based contenders could test Google’s position in the future
“The question also arises of the very function of Google. The search engine business will shift in the next decade into new technology and new devices,” Lampel added.
Its Android operating system is also the most popular mobile software in the world and has teamed up with manufacturers including Asus and LG to launch a number of best-selling devices such as the Nexus 4 smartphone and Nexus 7 tablet.
Google also bought Motorola in 2011 and a new Moto X handset is expected towards the end of this year.
