Main issues of Google

There are too many things to say about Google.
But today, I want to say about three issues in them.

1. Google TV
2. Asian Market

1. We are not ready for Google TV.
Google announced the launching of Google TV recently as expected. But I think it is too early.
TV have been the most important media in past and will hold same position in future. It’s not because of only about the spending time of people in TV or the quality and quantity of contents. It is because it’s symbolic meaning of center of people’s life. So the potential of the TV is so huge. So there had been a lot of attempting to bring the TV down from broadcasting corporation to the internet world.
Google TV is not new thing in the world. However, the attempt could be realized because it is Google, not Microsoft. I mean, Google could announce the launching because of the “open platform”. It is pretty obvious why Google is interested in this area. It is because of the advertising. Google said, in the way why the TV is so important, first, Americans watch 5 hours a day in average, second, 70 billion dollars are paid for TV advertising only in United States, and last, 4 billion peoples are watching TV in the world.

But it is not possible that Google TV will be 4 billion. Of course they will open the new “Smart TV” market and the market will grow while Google increase the market share of it. Just like smart phone market. TV manufacturers, such as Samsung, Sony, or LG already have their own internet TV line up. And they will position Android TV as another line up. However, the question is really people watch TV through Android TV as Google expects now? I don’t think so.

First of all, it is too slow. It is not the problem of web. It is the problem of Graphic solution. So it has to be High-end computing & Graphic device. And second, I don’t get how would they get the TV contents. It is so hard. The business world of broadcasting is so diverse and complex. And how would they appeal to them?

So far, I don’t think Google TV will solve this problem. Of course it will be solved someday but still it needs more time to me.


2. Google in Asia Market
Google is not doing well in asian market.
Google has serviced Japan since 2001, but Google never won against Yahoo Japan. The market share of Google Japan is 38.2% while Yahoo Japan is 51.1%. The situation in Korea is worse than that. The market share of Google Korea is only 3%, while Naver is 78%. And as you might know, the business in china is even invisible.

Google Japan and Korea changed their main page with providing many contents instead of their trademark, simple main page. Because Japanese and Korean users prefer it. However, it seems Google threw away their own philosophy and doing wrong in positioning. I remember one of Google marketer said “Google makes more profit when the users leave our websites as soon as they get the search result.” And it was quiet impressive because others were trying to keep their users in sites as long as they can.

main page of Google Korea. upper one is original, and bottom one is recent changed.