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by tptacek 3972 days ago
Did I miss something in the announcement? When people say that Google is "monolithic", they're saying that Google contains Youtube (#1 video site), search (#1 search), Android (#1 mobile OS), maps (#1 map site), Gmail (#1 email site?), and G+ (Facebook competitor). These companies appear to remain inside the Google corporation after the "restructuring", and so this doesn't ameliorate any of EU's concerns.

I think this is more about changing what Larry and Sergey do all day.
3 comments
tyingq 3972 days ago
"so this doesn't ameliorate any of EU's concerns"

The announcement seems deliberately vague. You're right in that it doesn't specifically address the EU concerns, but it creates a structure where that's easier to do.

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tptacek 3972 days ago
I don't see how it does that.
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tyingq 3972 days ago
Two main areas.

It prepares you, in terms of financial visibility, experience, etc, if the most painful of anti-trust remedies (breakup) ever happens. AT&T, for example, would have likely proposed different terms for their breakup if they had better visibility into how Western Electric would have performed on its own.

It provides more public financial visibility into some areas of concern, early. For example, it looks like Google fiber isn't staying with Google. Google fiber is probably a concern for at least US anti-trust regulators.

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sangnoir 3972 days ago
The new structure won't affect the EU's investigations, as you had stated earlier. All the components the EU will whine about are still under the Google subsidiary (Search, Maps, YouTube, Android).

The only companies exiting from Googles purview are Calico, Nest, Fiber, Ventures, Capital,and X. None of which were likely candidates for antitrust prosecution.

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tyingq 3971 days ago
It's chess, not checkers. One move at a time. Also, minor, but Fiber would be an interest point for anti-trust, just not in the EU.
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btian 3972 days ago
You forgot Chrome - #1 web browser
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tsenkov 3972 days ago
Yeah, is Chrome becoming a separate company?

"Under the new operating structure, its main Google business will include search, ads, maps, apps, YouTube and Android and the related technical infrastructure (the “Google business”)"

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seiji 3972 days ago
I think this is more about changing what Larry and Sergey do all day.

This is in line with their prior strategery of continually maneuvering towards "give us more authority but no responsibility."

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