At the Google Pixel unveiling, Google took some time to describe their broader mission. Only they actually didn’t. Google tried to describe their mission as making people’s lives better via intelligent assistance. But that’s not their true mission at all. I’ve never heard of a company describing their mission by completely ignoring their largest group of customers.
For instance, I work for a company that makes medical devices. Our “mission” is improving our customer’s lives by helping them get better or easing their pain. Our customers pay our bills, so it’s a nice reciprocal relationship.
Or take an oil company that sells their oil to various users who either refine it for gasoline or use it to make tires and other petroleum-based products. The “mission” of the oil company is to provide a high-quality product at a good price and to make it readily available. Again, the mission of the company and the satisfaction of their customers are intertwined. This is not the case with Google’s stated mission.
It’s no secret that the Google Pixel has been a minor player in the Android market. For whatever reason, Android buyers largely ignore the Pixel and either buy high-end phones from Samsung or cheaper hardware elsewhere. Hardware revenue to Google is so small that it’s insignificant. So any discussion about Google’s true “mission” has to revolve around where they get 99% of their revenue—advertising dollars.
It’s highly unusual for a company to articulate its true mission and not involve the market where it gets 99% of its revenue. For Google, that would be companies which pay for targeted advertising. Google’s true mission is surveillance for the purpose of selling ads.
Would a fisherman describe his true mission as making the lives of his fish better? No, his mission is similar to an oil company but on a smaller scale. He aims to provide a quality product to restaurants and grocery stores at a good price and a reliable supply. A fisherman would strongly support pro-fish policies that include clean water and habitat protection, but the overall mission of the fisherman is to serve his customers, not the fish.
Users of Android products are the fish, not the customers.
Google can blather all they want about making people’s lives better, but at the end of the day, the large companies which pay for Google’s surveillance data are paying the bills. Google’s mission is to provide these companies with a quality product at a good price and to ensure a reliable supply. The artificial intelligence which Google touts is parallel to the fisherman ensuring that the fish have a steady food supply. It allows the fisherman to hook fish for many, many years.
Or take an oil company that sells their oil to various users who either refine it for gasoline or use it to make tires and other petroleum-based products. The “mission” of the oil company is to provide a high-quality product at a good price and to make it readily available. Again, the mission of the company and the satisfaction of their customers are intertwined. This is not the case with Google’s stated mission.
It’s no secret that the Google Pixel has been a minor player in the Android market. For whatever reason, Android buyers largely ignore the Pixel and either buy high-end phones from Samsung or cheaper hardware elsewhere. Hardware revenue to Google is so small that it’s insignificant. So any discussion about Google’s true “mission” has to revolve around where they get 99% of their revenue—advertising dollars.
It’s highly unusual for a company to articulate its true mission and not involve the market where it gets 99% of its revenue. For Google, that would be companies which pay for targeted advertising. Google’s true mission is surveillance for the purpose of selling ads.
Would a fisherman describe his true mission as making the lives of his fish better? No, his mission is similar to an oil company but on a smaller scale. He aims to provide a quality product to restaurants and grocery stores at a good price and a reliable supply. A fisherman would strongly support pro-fish policies that include clean water and habitat protection, but the overall mission of the fisherman is to serve his customers, not the fish.
Users of Android products are the fish, not the customers.
Google can blather all they want about making people’s lives better, but at the end of the day, the large companies which pay for Google’s surveillance data are paying the bills. Google’s mission is to provide these companies with a quality product at a good price and to ensure a reliable supply. The artificial intelligence which Google touts is parallel to the fisherman ensuring that the fish have a steady food supply. It allows the fisherman to hook fish for many, many years.
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