Historically, Google’s strategy was always aligned with an open web and Moore’s Law. As cheaper computing powered the growth of the open web, the value of Google increased.  Why? Because as web content growth explodes, tools to find the information that you’re searching for become more valuable. Things like Android and free wifi were tactics that leaned into this strategy.

Google ten years ago:

• Core product/competency: Web Search
• Strategy: Ride growth of open web
• Tactics: Anything to increase the size of the web. Youtube, Gmail, Google Docs etc.
• Competitors: Yahoo, Microsoft

As the players and ecosystems changed, the strategy had to change.  Fast forward a few years to when mobile started growing:

• Core product/competency: Web Search
• Strategy: Ride the growth of open web, now on mobile
• Tactics: Android, Youtube, Gmail, bidding on spectrum
• Competitors: Microsoft, Apple, Verizon Mobile

Here is Google VP Hiroshi Lockheimer supporting this:

via Farhad Manjoo at NYTimes:

“The bet that Larry…