Google has officially acknowledged entering into a unique agreement with Spotify, allowing the music streaming service to bypass the standard Play Store commission fee. This revelation came to light during the ongoing antitrust case between Epic and Google, disclosed by Google’s Head of Global Partnerships, Don Harrison.
As reported by The Verge, the terms of this arrangement stipulated that Spotify incurred a zero percent commission when users purchased Premium subscriptions through the company’s payment system. In contrast, if a user utilized Google’s payment system, Spotify was obligated to pay a 4 percent commission, significantly lower than Google’s usual 15 percent fee.
In response to inquiries from the trial judge regarding the Spotify deal, Google asserted that disclosing specific figures would negatively impact ongoing negotiations with other parties. Although Google confirmed the details provided by Harrison, the company sought to rationalize the arrangement by emphasizing that certain developers investing directly in the Android and Play Store ecosystem receive deals that reduce commission fees.
Harrison further disclosed that Google and Spotify had committed to jointly invest $50 million in a ‘success fund.’ He defended the special agreement by asserting that ensuring the proper functioning of Spotify across play services and core services was crucial for the success of Android phones.
Introduced the previous year, Google’s User Choice Billing program typically imposed a 15 percent commission on payments made through the Play Store. However, if developers opted for their payment platform, Google offered a 4 percent discount, lowering the commission to approximately 11 percent. Despite this, Google’s VP of Play Partnerships previously acknowledged that, regardless of developers choosing User Choice Billing, they ultimately paid the same amount.
When questioned about potential similar arrangements with other companies, Google declined to provide further details. Recent revelations indicated that Google had proposed a 10 percent discount to Netflix, which the video streaming platform declined. Consequently, Netflix users are unable to purchase memberships through Android devices.
Spotify has consistently voiced concerns about in-app purchase fees. In the middle of 2023, the platform took a significant step by discontinuing support for Apple’s App Store billing system, aiming to evade the imposition of a commission as high as 30 percent. Spotify emerged as a prominent participant in the Coalition for App Fairness, a collective that included Epic, and endorsed the antitrust lawsuit initiated by the Fortnite publisher against both Apple and Google. However, in contrast to Epic’s sustained legal pursuit against both tech giants, Spotify seems to have identified a more straightforward and cost-effective resolution to disengage from the legal dispute with Google.
Epic, the developer behind the widely popular mobile game Fortnite, has initiated legal proceedings against Google, alleging that the search giant engages in unlawful price gouging by imposing commissions ranging from 15% to 30% on in-app digital transactions, according to a report by AP.
In the ongoing antitrust trial, Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Fortnite, testified, asserting that Google Play Store policies are illegitimate and contribute to Google’s monopoly in the mobile app distribution sector, as reported by Bloomberg. Sweeney claimed that Google attempted to sway Epic into releasing Fortnite through the Play Store by presenting a set of financial incentives during a meeting at the California office in 2018. Epic, however, rejected these offers, as stated by AP.
During his testimony, Sweeney expressed his perception of the situation, stating, “It seemed like a crooked arrangement… Google was proposing a series of side deals, which seemed designed to convince Epic not to compete against them.”
Does Google Favor Big Tech Companies with Lower Commission Fees?
Google’s revelation of a unique payment arrangement with Spotify has shed light on the company’s practice of selectively negotiating lower commission fees with certain developers. While Google justifies these deals by emphasizing the investments developers make in the Android ecosystem, critics argue that they create an unfair playing field and disadvantage smaller developers.
The Spotify deal is particularly controversial given that the company is a member of the Coalition for App Fairness, which is advocating for stricter antitrust regulations against Apple and Google. Spotify’s willingness to engage in a secret deal with Google suggests that the company may be more interested in protecting its interests than promoting fairness in the app market.
The Epic lawsuit against Google is likely to continue, and the revelations about the Spotify deal could give Epic more ammunition to argue that Google is abusing its monopoly power. It remains to be seen whether Google will be forced to change its policies and allow all developers to pay lower commission fees.
You have the finest website with top-notch content and well optimized yet not discovered by the huge online audience. In this era of mobile-first indexing, where 65% of queries come from the phone, you need to understand how your link-building practice could up your game!
Most SEOs don’t need convincing that links are important. The fact — internal links account for a far larger part of a page’s strength than external links do. Another fact — both links drive your position on search results.
It is reasonable to believe that adding a landing page to your top navigation results in more meaningful backlinks. That’s exactly how important links are for a website to reach its audience.
Let’s learn about link building on desktop and mobile platforms. We’ll see why they’re different and why this is important. We’ll also find out how to overcome challenges without affecting user experience.
Have you ever wondered how Google views your website when it appears on a mobile device? Think of Google as an active explorer exploring your site’s mobile version. It prioritizes mobile-friendly content as it crawls and indexes. Similar to a well-arranged bookcase with the most appropriate books placed at eye level.
Google’s mobile-first index has changed SEO since 2019, particularly for link-building practices.
Link builders should update their strategies to focus on creating high-quality backlinks. This will improve mobile user experiences and site responsiveness. Google now prioritizes mobile versions of websites for indexing and ranking.
Look at LinkedIn. The website appears prominently in search results for keywords because of its good backlinks and organized data. This leads to faster loading on all devices.
Here is how link building impacts SEO-
Improves the position in search engine rankings
Backlinks increase the authority and credibility of a website
Link building fuels referral traffic to a website
Relevant anchor text increases the relevancy of a website for particular keywords
It helps in building a reputation and increasing brand awareness
It increases the website’s organic traffic
Backlinks result in rising leads and conversion rates
Link building improves a website’s SEO performance
Best Practices for Mobile-First Link Building
Google’s mobile-first index requires a website’s mobile interface to be user-friendly and responsive for indexing and ranking. Here is how you must consider mobile first-link-building practices to ensure that you are providing enhanced user experiences and site responsiveness.
The Power of Internal Links
The key element of navigation is internal links. Consider them as the road signage that guides users across the environment of your digital service. Airbnb includes links in its mobile app so that customers can explore various destinations.
External Link Strategy
Links from other websites promote your website. Think of them as digital world referrals. Neil Patel’s content stands out online because it has high-quality backlinks from reliable sources.
Responsive Website Design
In the era of mobile-first content, creating a responsive website is not a trend, but a need. No matter which device you use, a responsive website, like Amazon‘s, always gives a consistent user experience. This improves user engagement and increases the efficiency of your link-building practices.
Amazon Website
Optimize Content for Mobile Users
It takes more than just organizing text onto a tiny screen to provide content for mobile viewers. It all comes down to providing an engaging experience. Consider the Quora mobile website, which captivates readers with each swipe and offers more than just content. It has an easygoing, and scroll-worthy experience.
Effective SEO
The secret sauce for ranking on search engines is optimizing content for SEO. It is about improving your content for both users and search engines. Buzzfeed’s mobile content optimization is a masterclass – short, engaging, and purposefully designed to attract the attention of both users and search engine algorithms.
Challenges in the Mobile-First Link Building Expedition
To overcome these obstacles, a thorough mobile-first link-building strategy is required. Consider the specific elements of mobile search and user behavior. Link builders can ensure that their efforts contribute to good SEO and better mobile user experiences by adapting to the mobile-first context.
Inadequate Navigation System
The difficulty of failing navigation elements is akin to exploring without signposts. Many websites’ mobile navigation features are not efficient for mobile users. Small buttons, a lot of options, poor placement, and a lack of responsiveness are some common problems.
Solution- To address this, perform a full audit of your mobile site’s navigation, ensuring that every part is easily accessible. TED has simplified mobile navigation, making it easy for viewers to find and engage with their content.
Slow Sites Never Win
In the mobile-first era, speed is everything. Users won’t put up with a slow website. They bounce back to the other page. This might not concern you in words, but your conversion rate drops at a high speed when this happens.
Solution- Compressing pictures, optimizing browser-cached data, and optimizing code will help to speed up your page. You can use tools like PageSpeed Insights, and Dareboost to check and improve website speed. Consider how Google ensures incredibly fast speed on its mobile site, establishing a benchmark for others to follow.
Website for Various Devices
Creating a mixed device structure itself is a challenge. Make sure your site looks great on a variety of screen sizes and resolutions. Netflix successfully navigates this complication by providing a uniform and visually appealing experience across a wide range of devices.
Solution- The best solution is to opt for a responsive web theme. You can find free templates or create your responsive website on free platforms like BootstrapMade, and Colorlib. Also, ChatGPT if you know how to give the exact prompts.
Mobile-First Content Creation
It might be difficult to create content that appeals to mobile consumers while being relevant. Aim for a good balance of interesting visual and informative content. HubSpot achieves this balance, giving essential data without affecting the user experience.
To create engaging content for mobile users, focus on being concise, using rich imagery, and making it personal. Also, make sure to use mobile-friendly platforms and track performance.
Content Localization for Mobile Users
Because mobile searches frequently contain local intent, it is critical to customize your content to specific regions. TripAdvisor does a good job in this area. It gives recommendations based on where the user is, which makes it more useful and engaging.
Solution– Through the use of a location-based API, you can access the user’s location and customize the content according to the region. Try Google Maps Geolocation API. It offers a free version that offers the most – 2500 daily requests.
Mobile-First Indexing
Takeaway
Error – Key navigation elements sometimes vanish on mobile devices, frustrating users. (Missing Links and Mega-Menu Chaos)
Tip – Instead of eliminating linked widgets, consider shifting them to the bottom of the page
To save screen space, try new ideas like tabs, carousels, and expandable sections
Error- Deep linking on mobile devices might be problematic, making it tough to direct users
Tip- Instead of crowded mega-menus, use breadcrumbs, contextual links, and internal search functionality for seamless navigation
Error- Problem with Navigating the Mobile Linking
Tip- Update navigation features and deep linking systems to be mobile-first-friendly
Effective mobile link-building requires updating features rather than deleting them to improve user experience and engagement.
Since you’re armed with the knowledge, it’s time to work your link-building game in the mobile-first index era. Share the errors you’re facing while working with mobile-first indexing. Let’s resolve it for you!
FAQs
What is mobile-first indexing?
Google’s Mobile-First Indexing is like putting more importance on a website’s mobile version when deciding how high it should appear in search results. This is because lots of people use phones to browse the internet. To do well in searches, websites need to make sure their mobile version works well and looks good.
What are the challenges in the mobile-first link-building expedition?
The challenges in mobile-first link-building are Inadequate Navigation Systems, Slow Sites, Websites for Various Devices, Mobile-First Content Creation, and Content Localization for Mobile Users.
How long does it take for Google to index a site?
Google takes as little as 4 days and up to 6 months to crawl or index a site.
According to recent studies, Indian-origin CEOs are currently leading some of the world’s most successful companies in a variety of sectors.
From technology to healthcare, these leaders have achieved remarkable success and are now considered among the most influential CEOs in the world.
There is a whole range of companies, starting from IBM, Cognizant, and Adobe to tech giants like Google and Microsoft, mobile mammoths like Nokia, and content kings like OnlyFans, where the CEOs are of Indian origin and are upping the game, no doubt.
So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the top Indian CEOs ruling the world in 2023.
Indian Origin CEO- Sundar Pichai (Google and Alphabet)
Pichai Sundararajan, also known as Sundar Pichai, was born in Tamil Nadu, India. He earned a degree from IIT Kharagpur in metallurgical engineering and is a distinguished alumnus of that institution.
He holds an M.S. from Stanford University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he was named a Siebel Scholar and a Palmer Scholar.
Pichai began his career as a materials engineer and joined Google as a management executive in 2004 and became the CEO of Google in the year 2015. Pichai was also named as the CEO of Google parent, Alphabet in December 2019, when he replaced Larry Page.
Satya Nadella
Company
Microsoft
Headquarters
One Microsoft Way Redmond, Washington, United States
Revenue
$198.27 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2014-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Satya Nadella (Microsoft)
Hyderabad-born Satya Nadella has a BE from the Manipal Institute of Technology, an MS from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Before joining Microsoft in 1992, he worked at Sun Microsystems as a member of its technology staff.
He became the CEO of Microsoft in 2014 succeeding Steve Ballmer. He also succeeded John W. Thompson and was named Chairman of Microsoft in 2021.
Vivek Sankaran
Company
Albertsons Cos Inc
Headquarters
Boise, Idaho, United States
Revenue
$76.768 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2019-Present
Indian Origin CEO- Vivek Sankaran (Albertsons Companies)
Vivek Sankaran is a well-known business executive in the United States. He is currently the President and CEO of Albertsons Companies, one of the largest food and drug retailers in the U.S., with more than 2,200 stores across 33 states.
Before joining Albertsons in 2019, Sankaran was the CEO of PepsiCo Foods North America, where he led the company’s Frito-Lay and Quaker Foods businesses in the U.S. and Canada. He has also held senior leadership roles at other major companies, including Procter & Gamble and McKinsey & Company.
Under his leadership, Albertsons has continued to expand its digital capabilities, introduce new products and services, and improve its supply chain and logistics operations.
Arvind Krishna
Company
IBM
Headquarters
Armonk, New York, United States
Revenue
$60.53 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2020-Present
Indian Origin CEO- Arvind Krishna (IBM)
The Indian CEO of IBM, who became the Chairman on January 1, 2021, Arvind Krishna was born in Dehradun, India.
He completed his schooling at St Joseph’s Academy, Dehradun, and the Stanes School, Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. He then received a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1985 and eventually got a PhD in Electrical Engineering.
Krishna began his career at IBM as an engineer in IBM Research and was promoted to CEO in 2020. He is currently serving IBM as its CEO and Chairman.
Vasant Narasimhan
Company
Novartis AG
Headquarters
Basel, Switzerland
Revenue
$50.5 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2018-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Vasant Narasimhan (Novartis AG)
Narasimhan was born in the United States in 1976 but spent much of his childhood in India. He attended the Syosset High School in New York before earning a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Chicago.
He went on to complete his MD from Harvard Medical School, as well as a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
After completing his education, Narasimhan worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company before joining Novartis in 2005. In 2014, he was appointed as the Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer for Novartis.
In 2018, Narasimhan was named CEO of Novartis, succeeding Joseph Jimenez.
Sanjay Mehrotra
Company
Micron Technology
Headquarters
Boise, Idaho, United States
Revenue
$27.15 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2017-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Sanjay Mehrotra (Micron Technology)
Kanpur-born Sanjay Mehrotra started his college at BITS Pilani and then transferred to the University of California, Berkeley from where he obtained a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Electrical Engineering and in Computer Science.
He is the current CEO of Micron Technology, who assumed office when Mark Durcan retired in February 2017.
Previously, he co-founded SanDisk, where he served as the president and CEO until its acquisition by Western Digital in 2016.
Laxman Narasimhan
Company
Starbucks
Headquarters
Seattle, Washington, United States
Revenue
$30.4 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2022-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Laxman Narasimhan (Starbucks)
Laxman holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering, University of Pune, an MA degree in German and International Studies from The Lauder Institute, and an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.
He joined Starbucks under the title “interim CEO” in October 2022, and following the transition will succeed interim CEO Howard Schultz. Narasimhan officially assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of Starbucks in March 2023.
Revathi Advaithi
Company
Flex (formerly Flextronics)
Headquarters
Singapore
Revenue
$29.72 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2019-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Revathi Advaithi (Flex)
The CEO of Flex and an advocate of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Revathi Advaithi is an Indian-American business executive, who was born in India.
Advaithi started her career as a shop floor supervisor in Eaton. In 2002, she joined Honeywell and returned to Eaton again, where she worked for 10 long years after becoming the COO. She eventually left Eaton and joined Flex as the company’s CEO in 2019. Revathi is an alumnus of Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BS) and Thunderbird School of Global Management (MBA).
She is an independent director for the board of directors of Uber and Catalyst.org along with her present role. Besides, she also is a member of the MIT Presidential CEO Advisory Board. Revathi was also featured in Fortune’s list of the Most Powerful Women in 2019 and 2020.
Neal Mohan is an accomplished Indian-American executive with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
He began his career at Accenture, where he worked for approximately 1.5 years, before moving on to Microsoft as a manager in the company’s corporate strategy department.
In 2008, Mohan joined Google after the tech giant’s acquisition of DoubleClick. Over the years, he rose through the ranks and became YouTube’s chief product officer in 2015, overseeing the platform’s product and user experience.
Mohan’s impressive educational background and extensive tech industry experience played a significant role in his success. Notably, Neal Mohan, the Indian American business executive, became the CEO of YouTube in February 2023.
Shantanu Narayen
Company
Adobe Inc
Headquarters
San Jose, California, United States
Revenue
$17.6 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2007-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Shantanu Narayen (Adobe)
Born in Hyderabad, India, Shantanu Narayan started his career at Apple. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Osmania University, an MBA from the University of California, Berkley, and an MS from Bowling Green State University.
Narayen joined Adobe in 1998 and got promoted to CEO in December 2007, at the age of 45.
Narayen also represented India in sailing at an Asian Regatta and got his name among the world’s best CEOs by Barron’s Magazine in the year 2016.
Niraj Shah
Company
Wayfair
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Revenue
$12.369 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2002-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Niraj Shah (Wayfair)
Shah earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Cornell University and a master’s degree in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
After completing his education, Shah started his career as a consultant at the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where he worked for several years.
In 2002, he co-founded the online furniture retailer CSN Stores (which later became Wayfair) with his friend and business partner, Steve Conine.
George Kurian
Company
NetApp
Headquarters
San Jose, California, United States
Revenue
$6.549 billion
Term of Office
2015-Present
Indian Origin CEO – George Kurian (NetApp)
After serving as the executive vice president of product operations for two years at NetApp, George Kurian became the CEO and President of the company in June 2015.
Born in Kottayam district, Kerala, he pursued engineering at IIT-Madras, but left six months later to join Princeton University; he also holds an MBA degree from Stanford.
Leena Nair
Company
Chanel
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Revenue
$15.6 billion
Term of Office
2022-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Leena Nair (Chanel)
Born on June 11, 1969, in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Leena Nair was an Electronics Engineering student at Walchand College of Engineering. After completing her graduation, Leena went to XLRI Jamshedpur from where she came out as a gold medallist.
Nair joined Anglo-Dutch company Unilever and was notably appointed as the Chief Human Resource Officer of the firm in 2016. She was recognized as the youngest, first female, and the first Asian ever to achieve the feat. Leena served many leadership positions in the same company before being appointed as the CHRO. Leena Nair was once again announced as the CEO of the French fashion brand, Chanel.
Ravi Kumar S
Company
Cognizant
Headquarters
Teaneck, New Jersey, United States
Revenue
$19.428 billion
Term of Office
2023-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Ravi Kumar S (Cognizant)
Ravi Kumar S. took on the role of CEO at Cognizant in January 2023. His tenure as CEO followed a distinguished career where he served as the President of Infosys from January 2016 to October 2022, contributing to his deep understanding of the IT industry.
Kumar’s educational background is equally impressive, with an engineering degree from Shivaji University in Maharashtra and an MBA from Xavier Institute of Management in Orissa. His journey in the technology sector underscores the increasing presence of Indian-origin CEOs in global tech companies.
Nikesh Arora
Company
Palo Alto Networks
Headquarters
Santa Clara, California, United States
Revenue
$5.818 billion
Term of Office
2018-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto Networks)
Nikesh Arora took the role of CEO and Chairman at Palo Alto Networks in June 2018. Prior to this, he worked with Google and SoftBank.
Born to an Indian Air Force Officer, Arora holds a Btech degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT BHU, Varanasi.
Furthermore, Arora also holds a degree from Boston College and an MBA from Northeastern University. Nikesh Arora has retained the CFA that he earned in 1999.
Anjali Sud
Company
Tubi
Headquarters
San Francisco, United States
Revenue
NA
Term of Office
2023-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Anjali Sud (Tubi)
Born in the USA, Detroit, Anjali Sud is an American businesswoman of Indian origin and is popularly known for being the CEO of Vimeo. Sud opted to study at the private school, Phillips Andover Academy at the age of 14.
She eventually received a B.Sc. degree in Finance and Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and later topped it off with an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Sud was appointed as a Vimeo CEO in July 2017. She previously served as a General Manager and the Head of Marketing of the company. Sud is also counted as a Board member of Dolby Laboratories. Furthermore, Sud is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. She was also listed by Fortune in 2018 under its 40 Under 40 rising business leaders.
Anjali Sud stepped down from her position as Vimeo CEO andjoined Tubi in September 2023, taking on the role of CEO at Fox Corp.’s free streaming service.
Devika Bulchandani was born and raised in India, and she completed her schooling there. She then moved to the United States to pursue higher education, and she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Bulchandani began her career in the advertising industry in 1995, working at several leading agencies such as Ammirati Puris Lintas, J. Walter Thompson, and McCann Erickson. She joined Ogilvy in 1999 as an Account Director and worked her way up the ranks, eventually becoming the Chief Operating Officer of Ogilvy New York in 2017.
In March 2021, Bulchandani was appointed as the CEO of Ogilvy North America, making her the first woman of color to lead the agency.
Jayshree Ullal
Company
Arista Networks
Headquarters
Santa Clara, California, United States
Revenue
$4.381 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2008-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Jayshree Ullal (Arista Networks)
Jayashree Ullal, the President, and CEO of Arista Networks was raised in New Delhi and attended San Francisco State University from where she graduated with a B.S. in Engineering.
She then went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from Santa Clara University.
Rangarajan Raghuram
Company
VMware
Headquarters
Palo Alto, California, United States
Revenue
$13.16 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2021-Present
Indian Origin CEO – Rangarajan Raghuram (VMware)
Rangarajan Raghuram currently serves as the CEO of VMware, who assumed his office on June 1, 2021.
Raghuram joined the company back in 2003 and has held multiple key leadership positions, thus being responsible for influencing the company’s strategies and bringing forth a technological revolution that VMware has seen.
Punit Renjen
Company
Deloitte
Headquarters
London, England
Revenue
$59 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2015-2022
Indian Origin CEO – Punit Renjen (Deloitte)
Renjen was born and raised in India, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Bombay. He later moved to the United States to pursue an MBA from Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management in Oregon.
After completing his MBA, Renjen joined Deloitte’s U.S. consulting practice in 1989. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a partner in the firm’s consulting practice in 1999.
In 2015, Renjen was appointed as the Global CEO of Deloitte, becoming the first person of Indian origin to lead one of the “Big Four” accounting firms.
On December 31, 2022, Punit retired as Deloitte Global CEO after having served in the role since June 2015. He now serves as Deloitte Global CEO Emeritus.
Ivan Menezes
Company
Diageo
Headquarters
London, England
Revenue
$20.56 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2013-2023
Indian Origin CEO – Ivan Menezes (Diageo)
Ivan Menezes was born in Pune, India, in 1959. Menezes attended high school in Hong Kong and went on to study at the University of Pune in India, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
He then moved to the United States to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Menezes started his career with Nestle in 1986, working in various roles across Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Menezes joined Diageo in 1997 as a strategy director and was subsequently appointed president and CEO of Diageo North America in 2004.
He was later promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2012, before becoming CEO in 2013.
Ivan served as the CEO of Diageo from 2013 until his passing in June 2023. Later, in June 2023, Debra Crew was appointed as Diageo’s Chief Executive Officer.
Amrapali ‘Ami’ Gan
Company
OnlyFans
Headquarters
London, England
Revenue
$2.5 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2021-2023
Indian Origin CEO – Amrapali Gan (OnlyFans)
Amrapali Gan has been named the new CEO of the London-based internet content subscription service company, OnlyFans on December 21, 2021, with the founder of the company Tim Stokely stepping down from the role. The NRI Indian CEO has already assumed office on the same date.
Amrapali Gan, or ‘Ami’ Gan, as she is nicknamed, has completed her early and higher education in California, US.
Gan has completed her Associate of Arts degree in Merchandise Marketing from FIDM. She then pursued a Bachelor of Arts in PR and Organisational Communications from California State University.
Furthermore, she also went on to earn her Certificate of Entrepreneurship from Harvard Business School Online. Ami had worked as a consultant with Arcade Agency for around 4 years before being appointed as the CEO of OnlyFans.
In July 2023, Ami Gan resigned as the CEO of OnlyFans after a two-year tenure, with Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Keily Blair stepping in as the new CEO. Ami Gan has started her own new venture, Hoxton Projects.
Sanjay Jha
Company
Global Foundries and Motorola
Headquarters
Malta, New York, United States
Revenue
$2.5 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2014-2018
Indian Origin CEO – Sanjay K Jha (GlobalFoundries and Motorola)
He is the former chief executive officer (CEO) of GlobalFoundries and the former chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility. Before that, he was the chief operating officer of Qualcomm.
Jha was born in Bhagalpur, Bihar, and holds a BS from the University of Liverpool and a PhD from the University of Strathclyde.
Rajeev Suri
Company
Nokia
Headquarters
Espoo, Finland
Revenue
$25.997 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2014-2020
Indian Origin CEO – Rajeev Suri (Nokia)
Rajeev Suri is an Indian–Singaporean business executive and the former CEO of Nokia from New Delhi, India. Suri joined Nokia in 1995 and held various key positions before being the President and CEO in April 2014, which was after Nokia had repurchased full control of the NSN and sold its phone division to Microsoft Mobile.
Suri holds a B-Tech from the Manipal Institute of Technology. After he left his office at Nokia, Suri in 2020 giving way to its new CEO, Pekka Lundmark, Suri joined Inmarsat, where he joined as a CEO effective from March 1, 2021, onwards.
Francisco D’Souza
Company
Cognizant
Headquarters
Teaneck, New Jersey, United States
Revenue
$19.428 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2007-2019
Indian Origin CEO – Francisco D’Souza (Cognizant)
Francisco D’Souza is among the youngest CEOs in the software services sector and a member of the company’s board of directors. D’Souza joined Cognizant as a co-founder in 1994 and went on to become its CEO in 2007.
The son of an Indian, D’Souza was born in Kenya and is distinguished as the former CEO and Vice Chairman of Cognizant. He holds a BBA from the University of East Asia, Macau, and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh.
Brian Humphries succeeded Francisco D’Souza as Cognizant’s CEO in April 2019, and later in January 2023, Ravi Kumar S was appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Cognizant.
Dinesh Paliwal
Company
Harman International
Headquarters
Stamford, Connecticut, United States
Revenue
$2.7 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2007-2020
Indian Origin CEO – Dinesh Paliwal (Harman International)
Born in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, Paliwal holds a BE and an MS degree from IIT Roorkee. He also obtained an MBA from Miami University.
Paliwal is known as the former President and CEO of Harman International, an independent subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, who stepped down from both of the positions and is currently appointed among the Board of Directors of the company.
Before joining Harman, he spent 22 years with ABB Group, where he held the dual role of President of ABB Group with responsibility for the company’s global P&L, and Chairman/CEO – ABB North America.
Ashok Vemuri
Company
Conduent Inc. of Xerox Corporation
Headquarters
Florham Park, New Jersey, United States
Revenue
$3.85 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2016-2019
Indian Origin CEO – Ashok Vemuri (Conduent Inc of Xerox Corporation)
New Delhi-born Ashok Vemuri is one among the Board of Directors for Financial Policy and Public Responsibilities at Kroger and was the former Chief Executive Officer of IGATE and Conduent.
Xerox, the 110-year-old document technology company that over the years came to symbolize everything associated with photocopying, named former iGate-appointed CEO Ashok Vemuri as the new CEO of its back-office outsourcing company, Conduent.
Vemuri was also appointed as the Executive Vice President and CEO of Xerox Business Services LLC.
Ajaypal Singh Banga
Company
Mastercard
Headquarters
Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States
Revenue
$22.23 billion (2022)
Term of Office
2010-2020
Indian Origin CEO – Ajaypal Singh Banga (Mastercard)
Beginning his business career with Nestlé in 1981, Pune-born Ajaypal Singh Banga was appointed as the President and CEO of Mastercard back in July 2010 and retained his office till December 31, 2020, after which he stepped down giving way to Michael Miebach.
He completed his primary education at the Hyderabad Public School in Begumpet and he went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University followed by a PGP in Management from the IIM Ahmedabad.
Banga was nominated by the Biden administration in February 2023 and elected as the President of the World Bank on May 3, 2023.
Born in Ajmer, Rajasthan on May 21, 1984, Parag Agrawal was schooled at Atomic Energy Central School No.4., where he studied with the renowned singer Shreya Ghoshal. Agrawal sat for the Joint Entrance Exam, where he was placed 77th, thereby seizing a chance to be admitted at the IIT Bombay.
He completed his B.Tech. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the same institute in 2005. Parag then decided to pursue a PhD in computer science from Stanford University, US.
He was the CEO of Twitter, Inc. from November 2021 to October 2022. Agrawal was promoted to the post of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in October 2017, when he replaced Adam Massinger. This was the last designation that he served before being named as the Chief Executive Officer of the company on November 29, 2021.
Conclusion
CEOs are integral to a company. He/she, when appointed as the CEO of a particular company, manages and monitors the day-to-day operations of the firm, and also stands responsible for strategic planning and decision-making. The CEO is the person who determines the direction of a business and is thus, a respectable as well as a valuable asset of the company.
Therefore, it feels exceptionally good to be an Indian when you get to hear that the CEOs of such big companies that are shaping the modern world are Indian in origin. Hope you find this list of Indian-origin CEOs at the top companies globally useful and informative!
FAQs
Who is the highest paid CEO of India?
Mukesh Ambani, the CEO of Reliance Industries is the highest paid CEO of India.
Who are the top 10 CEO in world?
Top 10 CEO in world are:
Elon Musk
Satya Nadella
Mark Zuckerberg
Andy Jassy
Tim Cook
Jeff Bezos
Jack Dorsey
Arvind Krishna
Warren Buffett
Jamie Dimon
Who are the Indian Origin CEOs leading the world?
Some of the top Indian origin CEOs leading the world are:
Generative AI has created quite a buzz lately, and people are curious. Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November last year, it has got 100 million users putting it to good use. And believe it or not, it is doing a pretty good job for the intended purpose. As a generative AI Chatbot trained on a massive dataset of dialogue-based texts and codes, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has captured the attention of literally everyone who is even slightly keeping up tabs on new tech, and it has got 100m users to prove my point.
So, what is generative AI, how do people use it to search queries, and how does this generative AI search work?
Well, first thing first. Generative AI is a kind of machine learning (ML) that uses algorithms to create new data from existing datasets of texts, audio, visuals, and codes, that can be used for various tasks such as image generation, text summarization, audio and video generation, and natural language processing. ChatGPT is also a generative AI-based chatbot, capable of having human-like conversations, but way more powerful and efficient than Siri and Google Assistant.
At present, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is freely available for people to try out the limited capabilities of this generative AI-based conversational tool— but its newer and upgraded version, ChatGPT Plus, is not free. Users can still take a USD 20 subscription plan to use the new GPT-4 (a large language model) based- ChatGPT Plus, which offers larger context as input and can have more extensive and more creative content than its predecessor.
Microsoft also integrated OpenAI’s GPT-4 large language model customized specifically for search in its Bing Search and launched it as the ‘New Bing’. In a blog post, Microsoft says,
“New AI Bing is an AI-enhanced web search experience that can provide you with better search, more complete answers, a new chat experience and the ability to generate content.’’
Microsoft Chairman CEO, Mr. Satya Nadella, on the day of its launch, said that AI would fundamentally change every software category, starting with the largest of all being the search category. He added, “Today, we’re launching Bing and Edge powered by AI copilot and chat, to help people get more from search and the web.’’
Although, the new Bing search is not yet available for everybody to use as Microsoft is yet to roll it out for everyone.
For a moment, you’d wonder where is Google— the company which ruled web searches over the past two decades. Well, Google is not behind in this Generative AI race. It’s working on its very own Generative AI chatbot named Bard— based on Google’s large language model, LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications). Google announced it in its 2021 annual Google I/O meet.
Google CEO Sunder Pichai on February 6, one day before the launch of Microsoft’s new Bing AI, introduced Bard in a blog post. “Bard seeks to combine the breadth of the world’s knowledge with the power, intelligence, and creativity of our large language models”, said Mr. Pichai.
Google says that it aims to bring the benefits of AI into our everyday products, and it isn’t in the race for AI first. Perhaps that is why Google is behind Microsoft and playing catch up, but there are other participants in this AI race tool. Apple Inc. is also working on its own AI model, and so is IBM.
The Generative AI Search
Search, as we know it, is simply opening our favorite web browser and search engine— Bing, Yahoo, or Google, and typing in the query we want to look for. Sometimes it’s not even a query. We simply type in the word ‘Cat’, and the search engine comes up with a list of websites that it believes have the answer to our questions (the input) accurately. Well, that is how keyword-based traditional search works.
The generative AI search, on the other hand, is a relatively new technology that uses machine learning and natural language processing to search for information. It works by analyzing large amounts of data and generating new, relevant results based on the input provided. The process involves gathering data from multiple sources such as websites, databases, or social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook. This data is then analyzed using algorithms designed particularly for the task at hand—in this case, digging through vast amounts of information quickly and accurately finding what you are looking for— all without you having manually look through each piece.
The AI-based algorithm looks at patterns in the text that indicate specific topics are related, thus, helping to narrow down your results even further before presenting them back out again as an organized list with all relevant options included within it.
The next step involves taking those generated results and running them against various other sources, such as images or videos if necessary; this allows you to get a better understanding of what exactly was found during your initial query process – giving users access not only textual but also visual content when searching online too.
Finally, once everything has been collected together into one place, then sort these items according to their relevance level – making sure that only the most relevant pieces appear first, and the lesser ones stay towards the bottom part where nobody would bother looking anyway all this while presenting it to you in a human-like output. Well, that’s the gist of it.
You must understand that the algorithm searches through all kinds of data, be it text, image, audio, or video because generative AI is not just limited to text.
Ultimately generative AI searches provide you with an efficient way of finding answers quickly regardless you know anything about the topic beforehand or not – allowing you to save time (well, time is money!) while still getting quality output every single time.
What are Generative AI models?
How Generative AI Search Differs from Traditional Web Search
Google has, time and again, emphasized that it uses AI (BERT, MUM) to give you quick and accurate results, but generative AI search is quite different from traditional searching. For one, it uses deep learning models instead of keyword-based indexing systems like those used by most popular web browsers today.
Deep learning models can understand complex relationships between data points within a dataset, allowing them to skillfully understand what users are searching for when they enter their queries into the system. For example, if someone were searching for “Italian restaurants near me” on Google or Bing, these services would typically return listings based solely on keywords entered by the user without considering any additional factors such as location or cuisine preference—but with an advanced generative AI system in place these criteria could be taken into account as well resulting in much more accurate recommendations are tailored specifically to meet per needs.
Google and ChatGPT
Generative AI Search also allows you to enhance your search results through conversation and generate the relevant answers in a human-like output while providing you with link(s) to the resources it compiled the results from. Another advantage that comes with using an advanced generative AI system over conventional ones is its ability to identify patterns amongst the vast amount of data and produce the most relevant results without requiring you to put too much effort or time into researching your query firsthand.
Generative AI searches can generate more relevant results than regular keyword-based searches because of their ability to understand natural language queries and return personalized recommendations based on user preferences. Generative AI search would certainly revolutionize web search, but what matters most is accurate and unbiased AI, as the results can only be as good as the training data set. While Microsoft has already launched its New Bing AI and Chat with its enhanced edge web browser, Google is not rushing into the AI race and improving its generative AI-based chatbot Bard.
FAQs
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI is a kind of machine learning (ML) that uses algorithms to create new data from existing datasets of texts, audio, visuals, and codes, that can be used for various tasks such as image generation, text summarization, audio and video generation, and natural language processing.
How does Generative AI search work?
The generative AI search, on the other hand, is a relatively new technology that uses machine learning and natural language processing to search for information.
“AI will fundamentally change every software category, starting with the largest category of all – search,” – Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft.
It is no secret that Microsoft’s Bing search engine has always been several steps behind Google’s Search Engine. Somehow it did not click with internet users. One might blame the Bing Search interface or how it brings up results, but you know that’s not it. I mean, Forbes tried to sum it up as, “Google was able to attract much better talent due to its reputation of being a more innovative and a more developer-friendly company, and because of its market position. Bing suffered from the anti-Microsoft sentiment among developers and was unable to attract a similar quality of talent.” Additionally, Google has been around for a longer time and has done incredibly well with its search algorithm.
However, the wind of change has finally taken a turn for the better- to an age of Artificial intelligence (AI) and more, particularly, Natural language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML). In an era when Elon Musk and Bill Gates (Co-founder, Microsoft) are significantly investing in ChatGPT, a conversational AI chatbot that is capable of producing long contextual paragraphs on any given topic (provided it is not about criticizing a certain messenger or Joe Biden or praising Donald Trump), whereas Google Inc. is experimenting with Bard.
Sharing his views on language and AI, Google CEO Sundar Pichai once said,
“Language is core to who we are as human beings. It’s how we understand the world, express ourselves, and communicate with others. And yet, only a fraction of the world’s languages have a digital presence today. This gap poses a threat to preserving cultural diversity, as well as to the development of AI.”
This bard is quite different than Celtic poets and composers, known for singing praises for old English kings in the old English era. This Bard is American, based on Google’s LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications), performs functions just as ChatGPT but relies on the Google Search engine to produce accurate results (it tries), and it is still learning.
Google’s Bard is “your creative and helpful collaborator, here to supercharge your imagination, boost your productivity, and bring your ideas to life.”
So, the obvious question is who wins when Microsoft and Google, two business giants have come to take your attention, your time, and probably your money (they say time is money, so let’s go with that)? How do you decide the winner in this modern clash of titans? What parameters should be taken into consideration?
The Clash of Titans: Bard vs. Bing chat
When I asked Bard that I wanted to compare these two services– Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Bing Chat– what do you think it said?
Here is what it came up with:
“Bard is based on Google’s LaMDA language model, while Bing Chat is based on OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model. LaMDA is a newer model than GPT-4, and it is trained on a larger dataset of text and code. This means that Bard may be able to generate more creative and informative text than Bing Chat.
Bard also offers three different drafts of the same response, while Bing Chat only offers one. This gives you more control over the final response, and it can help you to get the information you need more quickly”.
Google’s Bard
Microsoft’s Bing Chat also performed well when I asked the same question:
Well, Google’s Bard replies like ChatGPT (which failed to respond, as seen above). It produces texts, answering your questions with the help of Google’s ‘larger dataset of text and code’– but Microsoft’s Bing Chat answered with the help of resources available on the internet, paragraphically, along with hyperlinks of the websites— it compiled the results from.
Who wins this Clash of Titans?
Well, neither Perseus nor Hades!
Google’s Bard is powered by LaMDA, a language model developed by Google AI, and as a language model, it is still learning. Though it is presumed to provide better results because it uses Google’s large dataset, Microsoft’s Bing Chat, powered by GPT-4, a language model developed by OpenAI, is no less. It has the unique style of producing answers with hyperlinks to web resources which is quite helpful in determining the integrity of the results.
It still does not answer the question!
So, I guess, for now, it depends on individual choices and needs. Microsoft or Google can’t force you to use their search engines (or Bard/Bing AI), and you are free to use any of these. Whether you’re a conservative or a (woke) liberal, a humanist or a feminist, a white cis-male or a trans-person of color— you are free to make your own choice.
The AI Assistant Battle! (2023)
But what about the future? Who wins this battle in the next few years?
Since both Google Inc. and Microsoft Inc. are investing heavily in AI research and development, and both companies will continue to make significant progress in the coming years, as one can presume, ultimately, the winner of the AI battle will depend on which company can develop the most powerful and user-friendly AI technology.
It would probably depend on the capital each company is willing to invest in AI research, its development, and the talent each company can attract to its AI team.
Both Bard and Bing Chat are performing well. Bard hasn’t been yet launched here in India; however, you can use Bing Chat.
FAQs
Which AI Chatbot is better, Google’s Bard or Microsoft’s Bing Chat?
For now, it depends on individual choices and needs, and you are free to use any of these. Both Bard and Bing Chat are performing well. Bard hasn’t been yet launched here in India; however, you can use Bing Chat.
How do Google’s Bard and Microsoft’s Bing Chat reply to a query?
Google’s Bard is powered by LaMDA, a language model developed by Google AI, and as a language model, it is still learning. Though it is presumed to provide better results because it uses Google’s large dataset, Microsoft’s Bing Chat, powered by GPT-4, a language model developed by OpenAI, is no less. It has the unique style of producing answers with hyperlinks to web resources which is quite helpful in determining the integrity of the results.
The simplest yet most obvious conclusion would be that it is too early to say whether ChatGPT is a threat to search engines or not. However, we’ll admit that ChatGPT is a powerful tool that has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with computers. In fact, with the launch of GPT-4, it has done the unimaginable— and, if it delivers on its generative AI capabilities, as promised, it will transform the job market, as reported by Goldman Sachs, an investment bank in the United States.
ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a gigantic language model (LLM) chatbot. It is trained on a massive dataset of text and code and can generate text, translate languages, and write different kinds of creative content. It can answer your questions in an informative way with more context.
With the creation of ChatGPT and seeing its potential to answer people’s questions in a humanized way, some people now believe that ChatGPT could pose a threat to search engines like Google, Bing, and others. The premise is that ChatGPT can generate text that is indistinguishable from human-written text, and it can answer questions more quickly and accurately than search engines, so what is stopping people from not ever going back to the primitive search engines?
Another premise is the fact that ChatGPT can create longer, human-like text and that it could be used to create fake news articles, blog posts, and other forms of content that could be used to deceive people on search engines. This is quite true as there was a case of CNET, a prominent technical news websitethat wrote some AI-generated articles and published them. Google search engine also approved and ranked these articles like it usually does. The problem, however, was that these articles were full of inaccuracies, and most of them had to be revised by human beings.
One more premise is that ChatGPT can answer questions more quickly and accurately than search engines. This means that it could provide users with the information they need faster and more easily. Moreover, it is still under development— having the potential to become even more influential in the future, it could eventually become an even more reliable and efficient way to find information than search engines.
If you think about it, many of these premises are quite founded and make a good case. ChatGPT is quite good, and soon in the future, will be even better with its responses. However, there are still a few good reasons to conclude that ChatGPT is not a threat to Search Engines.
Why Isn’t ChatGPT A Threat To Search Engines?
Now that we have seen some premises on how ChatGPT can be a threat to Search Engines, let me explain how it is not happening, at least not soon.
Firstly, ChatGPT is trained on a restricted dataset of text and code, meaning it may not be able to answer questions about topics that are not covered in its training data. After all, it only knows what it has been trained on so far. Even though it is self-learning and it can improve its responses, its training is primitive in comparison to Google Search Engine (or Bing, for that matter). Google has had the hegemony in the web search area for years now and it has access to a massive dataset of text and code, including books, research papers, articles, websites, and other forms of data, which is constantly being updated.
Secondly, ChatGPT cannot understand the context of a question many times. Although GPT-4 now supports more extended context and can consider about 25000 words as input, it still may not be able to provide the most relevant or helpful answer to a question. Search engines, on the other hand, have access to a much broader range of information than ChatGPT and are better at understanding the nuances of human language. So, a search engine can provide more relevant and helpful search results than ChatGPT.
The Hegemony of Google Search
And lastly, search engines are pervasive. With smartphone penetration at 70.95% in 2023 in India and 72.17% in the USA in 2021, and 67% in 2021 globally, search engines (especially Google Search) have become the go-to option for searching anything and everything online, like it is natural. Google Search engine has a market share of 93.18%, as per Statcounter. This enormous number tells the story of Google’s hegemony over other search engines. Google launched its Android platform in 2007 and quickly gained traction with smartphone manufacturers willing to use the Android operating system. And now, Google is the most used search engine owing to the widespread use of the Android operating system in most developing countries and the most populous countries.
Google’s Market Share
The reason why search engines will remain pervasive and, ChatGPT will not pose a threat is the fact that using search engines comes naturally to people. Every smartphone user, even with little technical knowledge, knows how to use it. Frankly, that is not the case with ChatGPT.
Google Search Engine
Besides, the use of search engines and even preference for search engines also got to do with trust. Search engines like Google Search and Bing Search have been around for quite some time and have gained people’s trust. People can effortlessly look for things they need to look for and even verify that from multiple sources on the internet. ChatGPT is relatively new, and most people do not even know about it.
The last straw is that Google Search and Bing Search are attempting to incorporate AI to help users with better results. Microsoft’s Bing Search is already using GPT-4 LLM in the form of Bing Chat, and Google is launching its AI chatbot named Bard, currently available for use in a few selected countries.
So, search engines are not going anywhere and will remain the first choice for connecting people worldwide to the internet– as always. Sure, ChatGPT is quite helpful and fascinating to use. It is also quite creative with its responses and will complement many people’s works, but it is not a threat to search engines.
FAQs
What are the few premises that people have started to believe that ChatGPT might be a threat to search engines like Google, Bing, etc.?
Below are a few premises that people have started to believe that ChatGPT might be a threat to search engines like Google, Bing, etc. –
ChatGPT can generate text that is indistinguishable from human-written text, and it can answer questions more quickly and accurately than search engines
ChatGPT can create longer, human-like text, and it could be used to create fake news articles, blog posts, and other forms of content that could be used to deceive people on search engines
ChatGPT can answer questions more quickly and accurately than search engines
Why isn’t ChatGPT a threat to search engines?
ChatGPT is trained on a restricted dataset of text and code, meaning it may not be able to answer questions about topics that are not covered in its training data
ChatGPT cannot understand the context of a question many times
Google is known for its search engine, which is one of the most widely used on the internet. The company also offers a range of other products and services, including email, maps, productivity tools, advertising platforms, and hardware such as smartphones and smart home devices. In addition to its core business, Google has also pursued a number of other ventures, including developing autonomous vehicles, launching satellite internet service, and investing in renewable energy. The company has a strong focus on innovation and is known for its culture of experimentation, which has led to the development and launch of numerous products and initiatives over the years.
In this matter of growing the business and arms and legs of google, it has made a lot of mistakes too. Mistakes, and that too, publicly. They take on pride and be true, that is the only way to grow. Here in this article, we have listed some of the ventures that soon failed after google launched them and could not become a hit like other Google services. This is just a small sample of the products that Google has discontinued over the years. Google is known for experimenting with and launching new products, and it is not uncommon for the company to discontinue products that are not successful or do not meet its goals.
There are many products that Google launched that did not become a hit but served as a lesson to the company. Google is known for experimenting with and launching new products, and it is not uncommon for the company to discontinue products that are not successful or do not meet its goals. This is just a small sample of the products that Google has discontinued over the years. Let us see some of the viral but failed products.
Google Glass
Google Glass
A wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display was released in 2013 and discontinued in 2015. Google Glass was a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display that was developed and manufactured by Google. It was released in 2013 and discontinued in 2015. Google Glass was designed to be a hands-free device that could be worn like a pair of glasses, allowing users to access information and interact with their surroundings in a more seamless and natural way. It featured a small display that was positioned just above the wearer’s right eye, and it could be controlled using voice commands or touch gestures on the frame.
Google Glass was capable of displaying notifications, taking photos and videos, and providing real-time information about the user’s surroundings. It was also able to connect to the internet and access a variety of apps and services.
Google’s Market Share of Top 5 Countries
Although Google Glass received a lot of attention and generated significant buzz when it was first announced, it ultimately struggled to gain widespread adoption. It faced a number of technical and privacy concerns, and it was eventually discontinued in 2015. However, the technology and concept behind Google Glass have continued to influence the development of other wearable products and augmented reality products.
Google Wave
Google Wave
A communication and collaboration platform that was launched in 2009 and discontinued in 2010. Google Wave was a communication and collaboration platform that was launched by Google in 2009 and discontinued in 2010. The platform was designed to allow users to communicate and collaborate in real-time using a variety of tools and features, including text, images, videos, maps, and more.
One of the key features of Google Wave was its ability to allow users to edit and collaborate on documents in real-time, similar to a Google Doc. Users could also leave comments on specific parts of the document and see other users’ changes as they were made.
Google Wave also included a messaging feature that allowed users to send messages and attachments to each other, as well as a feature called “Wave Robots” that allowed users to automate certain tasks within the platform.
Despite its innovative features, Google Wave struggled to gain widespread adoption and was eventually discontinued in 2010. However, some of the ideas and technologies developed for Google Wave were later incorporated into other Google products, such as Google Docs and Google Drive.
Google Buzz
Google Buzz
A social networking service that was integrated into Gmail in 2010 and discontinued in 2011. Google Buzz was a social networking service that was integrated into Google’s Gmail service in 2010. It allowed users to share updates, photos, videos, and other content with their contacts, and it also had features for commenting and liking posts.
Buzz was intended to be a rival to other social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter, but it was met with a lukewarm response from users and faced criticism for privacy concerns. In 2011, Google announced that it would be retiring Buzz and integrating its features into other Google products.
One of the main criticisms of Google Buzz was that it automatically created a list of a user’s contacts based on the people they frequently emailed or chatted with, and it made this list visible to the user’s followers. This led to concerns about privacy, as people’s contacts were made public without their explicit consent. Google eventually addressed these concerns by allowing users to edit their contact lists and by making it easier to control who could see their posts.
Despite its short lifespan, Google Buzz did influence the development of other social networking and communication tools, and it helped to pave the way for the integration of social features into Gmail and other Google products.
Google Reader
Google Reader
A news aggregator that was launched in 2005 and discontinued in 2013. Google Reader was a news aggregator that allowed users to subscribe to and read news and other content from a variety of sources in one place. It was launched in 2005 and was popular among users who wanted to keep track of their favourite websites and blogs, as well as among developers who used its API to build applications that integrated with the service.
Google Reader had a number of features, including the ability to organize subscriptions into folders, mark items as read or unread, and share items with others. It was available as a web-based application and also had mobile apps for iOS and Android.
In 2013, Google announced that it was discontinuing Google Reader, citing declining usage and a need to focus on other priorities. The service was officially shut down on July 1, 2013. Despite the popularity of the service among some users, its shutdown was met with backlash from some quarters.
Google Nexus
Google Nexus
A line of consumer electronic devices ran on the Android operating system and was discontinued in 2016. Google Nexus was a line of consumer electronic devices that ran on the Android operating system. The line included smartphones, tablets, and streaming media players. The Nexus brand was developed in partnership with various hardware manufacturers, such as LG, Huawei, and HTC, and was designed to showcase the latest version of Android and provide a pure Android experience without any additional software or customization from the manufacturer.
The first Nexus device, the Nexus One smartphone, was released in 2010. Over the years, Google released several other Nexus devices, including the Nexus 7 tablet, the Nexus 10 tablet, and the Nexus Player streaming media player. In 2016, Google discontinued the Nexus line and replaced it with the Google Pixel brand.
Google Chrome Market Share
Nexus devices were known for their high-quality hardware, fast performance, and timely updates to the latest version of Android. They were popular among Android enthusiasts and developers who appreciated the clean, unmodified version of Android and the ability to root and customize their devices. However, the Nexus line never achieved the same level of market share or popularity as other Android devices from manufacturers such as Samsung and LG.
Google+
Google+
A social networking service that was launched in 2011 and discontinued in 2019. Google+ was a social networking service that was launched by Google in 2011. It was designed to allow users to connect with each other and share information, such as photos, videos, and links, in a manner similar to other social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Google+ had a number of features, including:
Streams: A feed of updates from people in a user’s circles (groups of people that a user had chosen to follow).
Communities: Groups of people who shared a common interest and could discuss and share content related to that interest.
Hangouts: A video chat feature that allows users to have group conversations or one-on-one conversations with other users.
Google+ was initially met with positive reviews, but it struggled to gain a significant user base and faced competition from other social networking platforms. In 2019, Google announced that it would be shutting down Google+ due to low usage and the discovery of a security flaw that had exposed the personal data of hundreds of thousands of users. Google+ officially shut down in April 2019.
Google Allo
Google Allo
A messaging app that was launched in 2016 and discontinued in 2018. Google Allo was a messaging app developed by Google that was launched in 2016 and discontinued in 2018. The app was designed to allow users to communicate with each other through text, images, and emojis, and it included features such as smart replies, which offered automated responses to messages based on the context of the conversation.
One of the main features of Google Allo was its integration with Google Assistant, a virtual assistant that could help users with tasks such as searching the web, setting reminders, and making recommendations. The app also had a feature called “incognito mode,” which allowed users to send messages that would automatically be deleted after a set amount of time.
Google Allo was available on both Android and iOS platforms and could be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play. However, despite its features and integration with Google Assistant, the app struggled to gain a significant user base and was eventually discontinued in favour of other messaging platforms developed by Google.
A mobile app and email service that was launched in 2014 and discontinued in 2019. Google Inbox was a mobile app and email service that was launched by Google in 2014. It was designed to help users manage their email more efficiently by providing features such as the ability to snooze emails, create to-do lists, and set reminders. Inbox also offered email categorization, which automatically sorted emails into categories such as “Promos,” “Purchases,” and “Travel.”
Inbox was intended to be an alternative to the traditional Gmail interface, and it was initially only available by invitation. However, it was eventually made available to all Gmail users.
In 2019, Google announced that it would be discontinuing Inbox and integrating its features into the regular Gmail interface. The Inbox app was officially shut down in April 2019, and all user data was transferred to Gmail.
Many users appreciated the additional features and functionality that Inbox provided, but some found it confusing or overwhelming. Ultimately, Google decided to discontinue the Inbox app in favour of focusing on improving and updating the core Gmail experience.
Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts
A communication platform that included messaging, video chat, and VOIP features was discontinued in 2020. Google Hangouts was a communication platform that included messaging, video chat, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) features. It was launched by Google in 2013 as a replacement for several older messaging and video chat products, including Google Talk, Google+ Messenger, and Google Hangouts Chat.
Google Hangouts was available on desktop and mobile devices, and users could access it through the web or through dedicated apps for Android and iOS. It allowed users to send messages, make voice and video calls, and share photos and files with other users. It also had a number of additional features, such as the ability to make phone calls to landline and mobile phones, participate in group conversations with up to 150 people, and use a variety of emoji and stickers to express themselves.
Google Hangouts was widely used for personal and business communication, and it was integrated with a number of other Google products, including Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive. However, in 2020, Google announced that it would be discontinuing the service and transitioning users to other communication platforms, such as Google Meet and Google Chat. The company cited the growing popularity of these newer products as the reason for the discontinuation of Hangouts.
Google Play Music
Google Music
A music streaming service that was launched in 2011 and discontinued in 2020. Google Play Music was a music streaming service developed by Google that allowed users to listen to music on demand and discover new music. The service was launched in 2011 and was available on a variety of platforms, including Android, iOS, and the web.
Google Play Music offered a large library of songs, albums, and playlists that users could access through a subscription or by purchasing individual tracks or albums. The service also included features such as personalized recommendations, curated playlists, and the ability to upload and stream up to 50,000 of your own songs.
In addition to streaming music, Google Play Music also offered a number of radio stations that played music based on different genres, moods, and activities. Users could also create their own radio stations based on a specific artist or song.
Google Play Music was discontinued in 2020 and was replaced by YouTube Music, another music streaming service developed by Google. Many of the features and functions of Google Play Music were integrated into YouTube Music, including the ability to upload and stream personal music libraries and access a large library of songs and albums.
Key Takeaways
While Google is learning and getting better by making mistakes, we can also learn from this. We don’t have to repeat mistakes, we can just look for the key takeaways and move on to build a better product. There are a few key learnings that can be taken away from Google’s failed products:
Market fit is important: Many of Google’s failed products did not gain traction with users because they did not solve a problem or fulfil a need in a way that resonated with the target market. It’s important for companies to carefully consider whether a product or service is meeting the needs and desires of their target audience.
Competition can be fierce: In some cases, Google’s failed products were competing in crowded markets with strong incumbent players. It can be challenging to gain a foothold in a market that is already dominated by well-established competitors.
Timing is crucial: Some of Google’s failed products were launched at a time when the market was not yet ready for them or when similar products were already well-established. It’s important for companies to consider the timing of their product launches and whether the market is ready for their offering.
It’s okay to pivot or discontinue products: Google has shown that it’s willing to pivot or discontinue products that are not meeting its goals or are not resonating with users. It’s important for companies to be willing to make tough decisions and change course if necessary, rather than continuing to invest in products that are not performing well.
Continuous experimentation and innovation are key: Despite some failed products, Google has had many successful products and services as well. This success is often attributed to the company’s culture of continuous experimentation and innovation, which allows it to quickly test new ideas and pivot as needed.
Conclusion
It is common for people and products to experience failure as a part of the process of learning and improving. Failure can be a valuable opportunity to reflect on what went wrong, identify areas for improvement, and make changes to better achieve success in the future. This is true for individuals as well as for companies and their products.
In the case of Google, the company has a culture of experimentation and innovation, and it is not afraid to take risks and try new things. As a result, some of its products and initiatives have been successful, while others have not. However, even products that are discontinued or shut down can provide valuable insights and experiences that can be applied to future projects.
Despite its success and influence in the tech industry, Google has had its share of failed products and initiatives. From Google Glass to Google Wave, these discontinued products serve as a reminder that even the most innovative companies can experience setbacks and failures. However, these failures can also provide valuable lessons and insights that can inform future product development and help a company like Google continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. So, it is important for companies to embrace failure and learn from it as a part of the innovation process.
FAQ
How many people use Google for services?
Google is the world’s largest search engine, and it has over 1 billion people who use its products and services.
Was Google Glass a failure?
This revolutionary high-potential holder product was largely rejected by consumers from the mass market. Google Glass failed in many elements such as health and safety concerns, extensively high price, heat issues and many more.
Why did Google Plus fail?
The answer to why Google+ failed could be attributed to its clumsy user interface. Google’s focus at the time of its establishment was on its users, not the general public.
Why did Google wave fail?
The wave was a finished product at the time of its release. It was buggy, and the user interface was poorly-designed and bothersome to use. Users got tired of explaining to their colleagues and friends how Wave worked and how to use basic features.
Do you know that email marketing has an approx ROI of 4400%? This huge market can prove to be a boon in fostering the growth of your digital business. But this is possible only if you have a decent email marketing campaign.
Countless resources are surfing the market and boasting of being the best resources for email marketing. But with proper research, we have separated some valuable resources that can help you in upskilling in email marketing. Let’s dive in to explore what these productive resources are.
The best way to gain and master information step by step is via courses and certifications. You can not only get proficient in email marketing, but these courses will also add value to your CV. From free to paid, beginner to advanced, here is the list of top courses to learn about email marketing:
LinkedIn Learning’s Email Marketing: Strategy and Optimization
Level- Intermediate Cost- $29.99 per month
LinkedIn Learning’s Email Marketing: Strategy and Optimization
The learning email strategy and optimization course from the established platform occupy the first position in our list of best courses to learn email marketing.
The course is made for the “intermediate” level. So if you already know the basics of email marketing and are looking forward to upskilling, then this LinkedIn program is for you. After this course, you will be able to:
Realize the strength of email marketing.
Proficiency in all kinds of emails.
Tips to expand your legs into any specific marketing blueprint.
Revision and modifications.
Optimization.
All the video lectures from this course are 1 hour long. It has a total of 19 video lectures. You can either opt for buying the whole course or paying monthly or annual fees to keep accessing the course.
The monthly or annual fees also provide you access to various other courses linked to e-commerce marketing. The best part is you will get certified at last which can add a credential to your resume.
Google Digital Garage’s Email Marketing Basics
Level- Beginner Cost- Free
Google Digital Garage’s Email Marketing Basics
Email marketing basics powered by Google digital garage is one of the best programs to understand the basics of email marketing thoroughly.
This free 3 hours long course not only introduces you to the basics of email marketing but also makes you proficient in other eCommerce marketing subjects including website and display advertising, Google Ads, etc. After this course, you will be able to:
Identifying email marketing choices.
Understand the basics of email marketing.
Formulating marketing emails.
Evaluating success in email marketing.
Efficient email marketing campaigns.
You just have to make an id and login into the course. The only disadvantage is that you do not get certified at the end of the course. But you get a quiz at the end of the course to evaluate your understanding level.
Hubspot’s Email Marketing Certification Course
Level- Beginner Cost- Free
Email Marketing Certification Course by HubSpot
The email marketing certification course from a popular platform Hubspot is worth taking because of the availability of a lot of informative stuff free of cost. It contains a total of 28 video lectures and 9 lessons in the given 3 hours. After this course, you will be able to:
Getting through email marketing.
Forming contact management and segmentation strategies.
Knowledge of email deliverability.
Drafting emails.
Forming layouts of marketing emails.
Creating emails that get the most click-throughs.
Analyzing the results of marketing emails.
Put your emails to testing.
Managing customer relationships with previous buyers.
Moreover, the course takes 9 quizzes to evaluate your level of understanding. But they don’t stop only evaluating through online tests. Hubspot also provides certification after the completion of the course. The valuable self-reliant course contains master strategies for customer relationship management with certification, and what else a person wants.
Udemy’s Mailchimp Email Marketing Course
Level- Beginner Cost- $49.99
The Complete Mailchimp Email Marketing Course by Udemy
Are you a sole beginner in the email marketing field? If you don’t know the ABC of email marketing campaigns, then Udemy paid course on Mailchimp email marketing is worth taking.
This 4.5 hours-long course contains a deep explanation of the terms of email marketing required for a beginner to get fit in building a decent email marketing strategy. Its constructive content justified the expense of the course. After this course, you will be able to:
Introducing the basics of email marketing
Tutorial lectures on MailChimp features
MailChimp set up
Mailchimp management
MailChimp audience establishment
Email marketing analytics
Picking up subject lines
Other resources include updates, resources, bonus materials, and FAQs.
In case you are not satisfied with the quality of the Udemy course, you can take back your money anytime within 30 days. Moreover, you also get certified after the end of the course.
Simplilearn’s Advanced Email Marketing Certification Training
Level- Advanced Cost- $499
Simplilearn’s Advanced Email Marketing Course
Who is not aware of the superiority of Simplilearn courses? Its certifications and boot camps are popular among industry leaders.
The course is not for beginners. It contains some master strategies to sharpen your digital business and email marketing skills and it is built for one who is looking forward to upskilling. The content contains assignments and implementing steps that justify the cost of this course. After this course, you will be able to:
The course makes sure that you have gained something. That’s why it has set a different procedure for certification. You need to complete 85% of 25 hours of lectures, complete 3 projects, and score 60% marks for certification.
Websites
Not only courses but also free and paid websites relating to e-commerce marketing are worth considering. Here is a list of some amazing websites which can surely enhance the quality of your emails and help in generating more revenue from them.
Touchstone Subject Line Analyzer
You can call a touchstone subject line analyzer a multitasker. It performs multiple tasks at the same time. Its database provides you with statistics that showcase click rates and lobbed open rates.
It is known to evaluate your email’s headline and provide suggestions to enhance its quality. It also needs your email content for further analysis. By analyzing your emails regularly, this subject line analyzer’s algorithm becomes able to calculate which trends are working or which trends are not working with your emails.
HTML Email Gallery
Besides being a good resource for simple emails, the HTML email gallery puts more stress on heavy designs HTML emails.
Not only designs but also this resourceful website contains copious blogs on effective email designs and strategies. The must-read exclusive blogs include “28 tips for designing effective emails” and “2018 email industry conditions”.
SendForensics Email Deliverability Test
SendForensics Email Deliverability Test
Most of the time, many emails can’t reach your target audiences because of technical glitches. As a result of which, your product reach has to suffer.
So if you want to ensure that your emails reach your target audience, SendForensics Email Deliverability Test can work. It automatically calculates the percentage of people who received your email.
IsValid
If somebody opens your email, it means the person is interested in reading further data. But what if he/she finds mistakes in your statistics present in the email content? The result will be an unpleasant impact on your organization and you will start losing the trust of target audiences.
But IsValid solves this problem effortlessly. You just need to enter the email matrices or conversions content on isValid. It will check and evaluate the results and provide all the assessed data in one take effortlessly.
Hubspot’s Marketing Blog
HubSpot’s marketing Blogs
One of the best and most established resources in the eCommerce market is HubSpot’s marketing blogs. It has countless blogs on its email marketing page that can add value to your emails.
Its tips and strategies are worth digesting. Not only written content, but their blogs also contain free examples and templates for almost every niche. Hence, HubSpot should be your next hub to optimize your email marketing strategy successfully.
Conclusion
Even if you are a wizard in email marketing, upskilling is still necessary to remain in the e-commerce market. You can opt for any of the above-mentioned courses according to your level and budget.
Moreover, the above-mentioned tools and websites can help you in writing enhanced quality emails. The power of a successful email marketing strategy is immeasurable. A successful email campaign can do wonders for your digital business.
FAQs
What is the ROI for email marketing?
Email marketing has an approximate ROI of 4400%. This equates to nearly $44 for every dollar spent on email marketing.
Which are the best courses to learn email marketing?
Some of the best courses to learn email marketing are:
The Complete Mailchimp Email Marketing Course by Udemy
Simplilearn’s Advanced Email Marketing Course
Email Marketing Certification Course by HubSpot
Google Digital Garage’s Email Marketing Basics
LinkedIn Learning’s Email Marketing: Strategy and Optimization
The reputation of your brand will have a direct impact on your sales. Analyzing what people think about your brand is very important.
If people are talking negative things about your brand or even worse, not even talking about it then you are in serious trouble.
Your brand name should generate excitement or a sense of trust in the minds of people.
Taking feedback, improving your brand presence on the internet and building long-term relationships with your customers are important aspects of any business.
A reputation audit of your brand will help you to grow your business.
Don’t know how to do the audit? Keep reading this article and I will guide you through all the steps.
Gone are the days when marketing was a one-way route. Nowadays, people share their experiences on social media. If you don’t answer their grievances and treat them well your business won’t grow and eventually fall.
If you understand the relationship between your brand and the audience, you can understand flaws and work on them.
You can find out why your sales are not going up. You can make effective strategies to skyrocket your sales and improve your company’s presence.
If your online visibility is low and your reviews online are not good, your company will face a dull future.
Know your Target Audience
You should know who your target audience is before making the reputation audit. You can look at Google Analytics and other tools to know who your target audience is.
You should know what your customers want and how you are fulfilling their wants.
To make things easier for you answer the below questions to know your target audience:
My products are made for which age group? OR Who can use my products or services?
What is causing my audience to demand those products or services?
How is my product helping them?
What actions do I expect my audience to take?
What audience my competitors are targeting?
Once you found out who your target audience is ask these questions to niche down:
What are the demographics of my audience?
What are their interests?
Where do they hang out online?
Who is the decision maker?
What are their income and expenditure?
If you already have customers to whom you are selling your products you can create survey forms.
In this way, you will get a better understanding of what your customers want and how you can help them in an efficient way
Steps to Conduct a Reputation Audit:
1)Brainstorm Words Related to Your Business:
Think of words that people might use when they talk about your brand. Do a brainstorming session with your employees and then select 15-20 words that are closely related to your brand.
2)Time to Use Those Words:
Search those words on Google and check if your business website or your business name is appearing in the search results or not.
Check the first 3 pages. Review what people are saying about your products or services.
Also, keep an eye on how many times your website is appearing in the search results.
Hop over to review sites where customers leave reviews about your product and service. Web Pages that appear on page one of Google for your company name or product keywords are very important.
Check if there are any negative reviews about your products. Understand what is lacking in your product or service.
Reply to those negative reviews politely. Tell them that you will improve things or explain why that particular thing went wrong.
Offer them a good reason to try your product or service again. If you have a lot of negative reviews then it is a big problem.
Understand what are the majority of complaints about (poor customer service, bad product quality, shipping delays, rude staff) and improve those things immediately.
If there are any negative reviews on an influencer’s website then contact them and thank them for their honesty. Ask them to try the improved version of the product.
Make sure this time you make them happy and provide them with a memorable experience.
If they are happy they might write another article praising your products.
If you find negative reviews in magazines then it is very tough to make magazines change their mind. In this case, make sure other magazines are praising your products.
4)Use Your Loyal or Satisfied Customers:
Make sure your loyal or satisfied customers leave a positive review. These reviews should be on Google and various other social media handles. Remember lots of positive reviews will have a positive impact on your brand.
5)Review Your Social Media Handles:
Search what people are saying about your brand on various social media handles.
Nowadays, people tag brands whenever they mention them so it would be easy for you to collect the data.
Understand for what product or service they are mentioning your brand and how many people engage on your social media handle.
Read the comments present in your posts. This will help you to get a better understanding of whether people are liking things that your brand is doing or not.
Check how many times your content has been shared on social media. You can use Instagram Analytics, Facebook Tools, or LinkedIn Automation Tools to get all the necessary data.
If you have a YouTube Channel check how many views are there on your videos.
Understand which videos are getting the most views. You can use YouTube Analytics to review these things.
6)Review Your Collected Data:
Now, it’s time to review the data that you have collected till now. You remember why we have collected this data right? To understand what people think about your brand across the web.
After collecting this data you will find yourself in these 4 situations:
No Web Presence – There is very little information about your brand on the web. People don’t know about your brand.
In this scenario, your main focus is to create a web presence and interact with customers online.
Less Web Presence – You do have information about your brand but it is from your website itself. This usually happens when you have recently started to create a presence online.
You need to make sure customers talk about your brand on various websites and on social media.
Negative Perception – There is a lot of information about your brand on the internet, but people don’t like your brand. You have tons of negative reviews on various platforms.
Don’t get shocked or sad. Relax and understand what things people don’t like about your products or services.
Improve your product and services and you will soon get positive reviews.
Positive Perception – People are impressed with your services. Everything is positive but don’t get too excited. You need to keep growing.
Add more features to your existing products. Remember if you are careless, a positive web presence will soon turn into a negative one.
Conclusion
As you can see online reputation audit can be very helpful for your business. Most importantly, you can do the audit yourself.
Remember analyzing your reputation online is as important as other things.
If people are not talking about your brand online then your business will soon come to an end.
The market has become very competitive and that’s why you need to be alert all the time. You need to constantly monitor and work on improving things.
FAQ
Why is a reputation audit important for my brand?
A reputation audit will tell you what your target audience thinks about your brand.
You will understand if your audience has a positive perception of your brand or negative perception. You will also understand where your brand stands in the market.
Which are the best reputation audit tools?
Some of the best reputation audit tools are Google Alerts, SEMrush, RankRanger, Social Mention, and SentiOne.
What is the meaning of reputation audit in simple words?
In simple words, a reputation audit is a way to understand what people think about your brand.
Can I do a reputation audit myself?
Yes, you can easily do a reputation audit by yourself. You don’t need to hire someone as the process is quite simple.
MapmyIndia is known to be one of India’s most comprehensive GPS navigation and tracking solutions providers, which engages the users on multiple platforms. The New Delhi-based company first started its venture online as C.E Infosystems back in 1995 and eventually migrated into consumer navigation devices, fleet-tracking solutions for taxi and trucking companies, and mobile apps. Today, the company offers an entire API stack, IOT devices, and a map app and is also a strong competitor to the global giant Google’s mapping app.
The company has so far mapped over 10.54 million unique destinations, expanded its coverage to over 6.29 million kilometers of the road network, 7068+ cities at street level along with address level for 80+ cities. It also covers 600K+ villages and 3D and 2D landmarks in 86+ different cities. It has so far recorded 18+ million places. Not only that the company has also divulged into offering a variety of different services. It offers services like navigation functionality, tracking and telematics, and location-based analytics.
MapmyIndia has its own API stack through which the company aids developers who are looking to build interesting and unique apps powered by a geo-locational element such as OLX, Flipkart, and smart parking systems. The company now has 5,000 enterprise customers. It also claims to have captured an 80% market share in revenue in the location intelligence space.
It has more than 2,000 customers on its SaaS platforms, which are used for fleet management, location analytics, etc. among other things, made possible because of the successful business model that MaymyIndia brandishes. Other smaller players that compete with MaymyIndia in the IoT-powered GPS devices segment include Asset Tracker, TrakNTell, and CaRPM.
Rakesh Verma and Rashmi Verma, The founders of MapmyIndia
MapmyIndia is an Indian technology company that builds digital map data, telematics services, location-based SAAS, and GIS AI services. The company has its headquarters in New Delhi, regional offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru, and an international office in the San Francisco Bay Area. MapmyIndia was founded in the year 1992 by Rakesh Verma and Rashmi Verma. The company had its humble beginning when the couple launched a startup called C E Info Systems Pvt. Ltd. in New Delhi.
The company initially started working upon developing a web mapping technology and providing products and services required for enhancing marketing and logistics efficiency in the existing organizations in the country. MapmyIndia launched the first Indian interactive digital mapping portal in 2004, which provided free, customized, location-based services.
In 2010, MapmyIndia launched a GPS navigation service called Road Pilot, preloaded with Indian cities, villages and destinations and destinations. As of 2018, it has 5000 plus enterprises customers and over 250 million consumers benefit directly and indirectly from its services. MapmyIndia has also expanded to countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal and soon plans to release maps for the different parts of the world.
During the trying times of the pandemic, the company launched a Covid19 dashboard that mapped containment zones and Covid19 testing and treatment centers across India in real-time and made it available for millions of users free of cost. This immediate move benefitted many users needing this information, whereas Google was slow to respond and released it many months later. It also won the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar App Challenge for its consumer app.
In December 2021, MapmyIndia parent company, the valuation or the market capitalization of the company currently stood at over $1.03 Bn.
MapmyIndia – Products and Services the Company Offers
MapmyIndia is well known for its services like Navigation, Tracking, IoT, Analytics, and web mapping service for desktop and mobile devices.The company also offers advanced GPS tracking devices, car in-dash infotainment, and plug and play on-board diagnostics, car trackers. The navigation service features street-view, public transit information, and turn-by-turn navigation with spoken instructions for vehicles. The main services that the company offers are:
Professionally curated and continuously updated detailed maps that offer unmatched coverage – These maps enable web and mobile applications, with the most granular house-level building data, live traffic, location-based demographics, and socio-economic data.
Real-time data visualization and big data analytics to make more informed decisions – Maps provide a visual context that helps customers to increase productivity, involving location like site selection & resource allocation that helps with efficient business growth.
Smart mobility platform for sale, convenient and efficient mobility – The company is focused on building technology platforms for connected vehicles and travelers paving the road for autonomous multi-modal and safe mobility.
Connected Vehicle IoT ensures the safety and security of vehicles, people, and assets – The company also believes in providing a secure, intelligent, and modular location-based IoT platform, providing accurate and reliable maps with live traffic, road conditions, safety alerts, driving patterns, and other travel services.
MapmyIndia Launched Panoramic Street View Experience
MapmyIndia announced the launch of a panoramic, street view feature, which will be similar to the panoramic, three-dimensional experience of Google Street View. This technology, which is refered to as Mappls RealView, will help the users explore the cities of India almost as Google offers. Currently, Mappls RealView covers metropolitan areas and cities including Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Greater Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Jaipur. Besides, it also covers nearly 100,000 kms of highways, which links these cities and towns. The repository of Mappls RealView currently consists of 40+ Cr geo-tagged panoramas, videos, and panoramas, as of July 28, 2022.
A metaverse-like experience has also been launched by MapmyIndia, via Mappls. This now features numerous tourists, commercial and residential landmarks and more, across India. In order to create a 3D experience, the listed startup has revealed that it uses satellite imagery data from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
MapmyIndia – eLoc: Electronic location as a key to Digital Address
MapmyIndia has presented eLoc (electronic Location) as the country’s key to digital addresses. eLoc by MapmyIndia helps in finding the electronic location of any place, be it a building, flat, office, business, city, village, locality, road, and so on, is a short, 6 character code (for e.g. 8GDTYX, or MMI000). This is easy to remember, share, type, and provide. eLoc claims to provide a comprehensive, accurate, and precise door-step level, 3D digital map database, and turn by turn navigation solution.
eLoc is essential when a person, business, or official searches for a place by entering the code. They can see the precise map location of the place beside its location, such as reviews, photos other information provided by the place’s owner, businesses, and government. MapmyIndia updates its digital database every quarter and takes into account the feedback of the enterprise’s customers, individual users, on-ground staff, and its own surveyors as well.
When Rakesh and Rashmi Verma first started out to build their own startup they were determined to do something for the country and thus, decided to make it their life’s goal to build the country’s first digital map based on a database of India. This was a difficult task in the beginning because India is known to be vast and with varied geographical and topographical diversities. This is why they decided to make their own database, “Top Down and Bottoms Up”.
The Top Down system included that the company digitally traced whatever paper maps were available using tablets and other IT and electronics devices. On the other hand, the Bottom Up was meant to survey different parts of the country. The team of MapmyIndia played an important role in surveys as they had to practically walk down the streets and by-lanes of the country and also conduct field surveys.
The company has a customer-funded business model and has had popular companies like Coca-Cola, Marico, Hindustan Unilever, and the Indian defense service as their enterprise customers. All of these were possible due to its team of more than 400 surveyors, post-physical and satellite surveys, and most importantly, its 25 years of research. The company now has a repository of more than 2 Cr data points, including 3D data visualizations, telematics, and navigation systems under its belt.
Map Data collection work
The company not only sends more than 400 surveys in the field but also collects hundreds of attributes like footprints, doorsteps, floor numbers, flat numbers, and photographs of every location. It is because of this information that the company has created a digital map of the country of inter-connected information with all those geographical markers and coordinates. MapmyIndia has also entered into more than 100 strategic partnerships with tech and marketing companies, to facilitate the process of data collation faster.
Four Key Markets of MapmyIndia
In terms of the verticals, MapmyIndia addresses four key markets:
Direct consumers (through free and paid app/maps)
Automotive (40% of revenue)
Mobile Internet (20%) and
Enterprises and government (40% of revenue).
MapmyIndia – Revenue and Financials
MapmyIndia QoQ Financials
The operating revenue in Q1 FY23 of MapmyIndia, grew by 50.2% to stand at Rs 65 crore when compared to the revenue it received in the corresponding quarter in FY22.
The expenses of the company also increased by 37.5% in Q1 FY23, when compared with the Rs 27.4 crore expenses it registered in Q1 FY22. The expenses of MapmyIndia in Q1 FY23 are registered at Rs 37.7 crore.
The PAT of MapmyIndia rose 17.5% YoY in the first quarter of FY23, to become Rs 24.2 crore.
MapmyIndia YoY Financials
MapmyIndia’s revenue from operations was close to Rs 200 crore in FY22. The company earlier registered Rs 153 crore in operational revenue, which grew by 31%. The revenue from operations of MapmyIndia was previously noted to be Rs 135.2 crore and Rs 149 crore in FY19 and FY20 respectively.
The expenses of MapmyIndia rose only slightly, by 11%, up from Rs 113 crore in FY21 to become Rs 125 crore in FY22. MapmyIndia expenses were earlier registered at Rs 120.16 crore in FY19 and Rs 131.78 crore in FY20.
MapmyIndia profits after tax (PAT) stood at Rs 87 crore in FY22, which witnessed a 45% rise from Rs 59.4 crore worth in profits in FY21. The profits were earlier Rs 33.6 crore in FY19 and Rs 23.2 crore in FY20.
MapmyIndia – Market Share and Funding of MapmyIndia
MapmyIndia cloud mapping services are used by many well-known tech companies such as Paytm, PhonePe, Amazon, Alexa voice, Flipkart, Uber, Ola, Grofers (now Blinkit), for various things like planning, operations, and customer experience. The company also offers advanced navigation and location services to the vehicle manufacturer and has a 95% market share in GPS navigation in India. It also claims to have 5,000+ enterprise customers with an 80% market share in the location intelligent space.
MapmyIndia Funding
MapmyIndia has so far raised $34 million in venture capital financing in the three rounds since 2007 from Lightbox Ventures, Nexus Venture Partners, Qualcomm Ventures, and Zenrin. In 2015, Flipkart announced that it has acquired 34% stake in the company for Rs 1,600 crore and provided a successful exit to MapmyIndia’s early investors.Over the years, the firm’s value has more than tripled due to the increase in the adoption of its technologies.
Date
Name of the Funding Round
Deal Value
Lead Investors
May 1, 2014
Venture Round
–
Lightbox
February 15, 2009
Series C
$9 mn
Qualcomm Ventures
August 10, 2007
Series B
$25 mn
–
April 19, 2007
Series A
–
–
MapmyIndia IPO
The company filed its draft offer documents with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on August 31, 2021. In its IPO, MapmyIndia was initially expected to go with an offer-for-sale of up to 7,547,959 equity shares by shareholders at a face value of Rs 2 each. This amounted to around 19% of post-offer paid-up equity share capital.
C.E Info Systems, MapmyIndia’s parent company, has increased its total IPO offering to 9,589,478 equity shares, as per the reports dated October 20, 2021. MapmyIndia parent has received SEBI’s approval for its IPO that will consist only of an offer for sale (OFS) from the promoters and the existing shareholders and would offload up to 9,589,478 equity shares, as per the reports dated October 30, 2021. C.E Info Systems had gone live with its IPO on December 9, 2021, where it has seen a strong response from retail investors. The IPO was subscribed around 0.53 times or 53%, as per the reports on 11 am on the same day.
The IPO of MapmyIndia parent witnessed a subscription of over 154 times, as reported on December 13, 2021. The upper limit of the IPO price band was at Rs 1,033, where the offer attracted bids close to Rs 1.12 lakh crore, as disclosed on the same date. The MapmyIndia shares were listed at Rs 1581, which is a 54% premium to its IPO price of Rs 1033 per share.
PV Vyshnavi
