Google’s search boss reveals how the tech giant will woo India
Despite wi-fi services and tackling different kinds of connectivity, the search giant still faces challenges in a market where the majority still aren’t connected
Google may be synonymous with search in the developed world, but winning over users in countries where speedy internet connections aren’t a given is challenging, a top executive at the tech giant told CNBC.
The company last week unveiled several products and initiatives in India tailored to make the internet more accessible, in a bid to tap into the vast potential of the country’s growing online population.
The link between the initiatives was an emphasis on connectivity, John Giannandrea, senior vice president of search at Google, explained.
Google’s new mobile app, YouTube Go, was designed to play videos smoothly in low connectivity environments and allow users better control over their data consumption.
Google also launched free Wi-Fi services in more than 50 train stations, and later this year, users will be able to communicate with Google’s artificial intelligence service, Assistant, in Hindi.
“We have to understand that people have different kinds of connectivity,” Giannandrea said.
“At any given day, somebody might have 2G, 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi. A lot of people have 2G and Wi-Fi, so we want to adapt our products to make sure they work, regardless of the connectivity you have. It might mean even when you are working offline.”