Google’s Next Big Play

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Salutations, Olio aficionados! 👋

Happy Hump Day and welcome to the 101st edition of Weekly Olio - your trusted source for giggles, wisdom, and a dash of intrigue, courtesy of our tantalizing thought piece (yes, buckle up for Publisher's Parmesan). 🧀

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The Quote󠀢 💭

The Tweet 🐦

The British empire has been much aligned for leading the charge around colonialism but if this thread is to be believed, the Brits were major driving forces behind the eradication of slavery and global slave trade. An interesting perspective!

The Infographic 💹

This was presented in 2016. Zuck absolutely nailed it.

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The Short Read 📝

Why SaaS is Dead and the Future is Agentic - by Surojit Chatterjee

SaaS transformed enterprise software with easy deployment and scalability, but inefficiencies like shelfware, data silos, and per-seat pricing are now major issues. Agentic AI addresses these by eliminating data silos and automating workflows, making software more intelligent and outcome-driven. As Agentic AI adoption grows, pricing models will shift from seat-based to usage- or outcome-based, leading to cost savings and improved RoI for businesses. Read more…

As the downsides of SaaS, like high costs and complicated coordination, become clearer, Agentic AI is emerging as the next step in business software. Companies no longer have to use separate, seat-based tools that add more complexity than they solve. Agentic AI offers a new approach: automation that works smoothly across all functions, with businesses paying only for actual use or results. Companies that embrace this will benefit from increased efficiency, clear returns on investment, and a new era of smart, independent automation.

The Long Read 📜

How a carmaker’s mistake created the ultimate internet challenge - by Sara Morrison

Sara Morrison is a senior Vox reporter who has covered data privacy, antitrust, and Big Tech’s power over us all for the site since 2019.

A fun question to ask MBA students is: consider a feature for a product that doesn't make the product any better, doesn't affect consumers' decisions to buy it—but does make it a more attractive target for thieves. Something like the set of features that make the Kia challenge a possibility. Read more…

🎉 Drum roll, please! 🥁 Let's give a hearty round of applause to our guest post collaborator, Chetan Metkar! 📜🎩

Chetan is a Director, Product at Tata Neu, overseeing Consumer and Supply Products for the OTA platform. Previously, he has worked with SuprDaily by Swiggy, Helpshift Technologies, and Ola.

Publisher’s Parmesan 🧀

Google’s Next Big Play

In the past few years, Google has been quietly yet methodically building a robust portfolio of subscription-based services. These include heavyweights like Google One—their cloud storage solution, and YouTube Premium, which eliminates ads and adds more perks to the world’s biggest video platform. As of 2024, both of these services have crossed significant milestones: Google One now has over 100 million subscribers, while YouTube Premium and YouTube Music collectively boast 100 million subscribers as well.

These numbers are impressive on their own, but they beg a bigger question: Why hasn’t Google consolidated these offerings into a single, more powerful subscription model, similar to Amazon’s wildly successful Prime? With its vast ecosystem, Google has all the ingredients to cook up a single, cohesive plan that could be more valuable to consumers, more streamlined, and, frankly, more enticing. 

Amazon Prime offers a near-perfect blueprint for a bundled service that succeeds. For one annual fee, Amazon users get fast shipping, streaming services, cloud storage, and more. The retention rates for Amazon Prime users are staggering, with over 90% of subscribers renewing their membership annually . The model works because it offers immense value by combining utility, entertainment, and convenience into one package. 

Google has the potential to replicate this success but with a twist that plays to its strengths. Consider the following services: 

• Google One: A subscription plan offering cloud storage, device backups, and security features such as VPN and dark web monitoring. 

• YouTube Premium: Ad-free video streaming, exclusive content, and YouTube Music. 

• AI Tools: Recently, Google added powerful new features like Gemini Advanced, part of the AI Premium Plan, which brings advanced AI functionalities to services like Gmail and Google Docs. 

Each of these services caters to overlapping user bases. For instance, YouTube Premium subscribers are already likely to consume large amounts of video content, much of which may need to be stored or backed up—enter Google One. Meanwhile, AI tools enhance productivity, making them relevant to the same users who already rely on Google for work or entertainment. 

By creating a unified subscription model, Google could simplify the user experience, offer greater value, and foster even greater user loyalty. It’s not hard to imagine millions of Android users upgrading to a single plan that covers all these essential services. 

Android: The Glue That Holds It All Together 

What makes Google’s potential bundled offering even more compelling is its dominance in the Android ecosystem. Globally, Android commands over 70% of the smartphone market, meaning billions of users are already locked into Google’s app ecosystem—Google Photos, YouTube, and Drive are often pre-installed on these devices. 

One of the pain points for Android users is storage. Today’s high-resolution photos and videos can easily consume the free 15 GB of storage that comes with a Google account. Most people, especially those using Google Photos or Drive, run out of space quickly. This is where Google One comes in handy, providing additional storage for photos, videos, and files. 

But here’s the kicker: many Android users also watch YouTube. In fact, YouTube is one of the most popular apps on Android, which makes YouTube Premium an easy sell to users already integrated into Google’s ecosystem. By bundling Google One storage and YouTube Premium, Google could tap into this shared user base more efficiently, offering users both more storage and an ad-free, enhanced video experience. 

For users, it’s a win-win. They get more value for their money, and it’s all seamlessly tied into their existing Android ecosystem. For Google, this translates into higher retention rates, much like Amazon Prime, where users become accustomed to using various bundled services and are less likely to cancel. 

Why Google Hasn’t Done It Yet: The Strategic Rationale 

If bundling is so logical, why hasn’t Google made this move yet? There are a few possible reasons: 

1. Revenue Maximization: Google’s current approach allows them to generate individual revenue streams from different services. Rather than offering everything in a bundle at a lower price point, Google can extract higher revenue by keeping these subscriptions separate. However, this strategy can also lead to subscription fatigue, where users feel overwhelmed by the number of services they have to manage individually. 

2. Market Segmentation: Google may be testing the market with each of these services before combining them into a unified package. Keeping these services separate allows Google to gather more specific data on how users interact with each offering, thereby allowing for better optimization when or if they decide to bundle. 

3. Focus on Flexibility: Google likely values the flexibility that comes from unbundled services. By offering products individually, they can cater to a wider array of users with different needs. Some users may only need cloud storage, while others might prefer just YouTube Premium. Offering a bundled package could alienate users who don’t want all the extras. 

While these are valid points, user behavior is trending towards favoring simplified, all-in-one subscriptions, and the separate pricing model may eventually lose out to consumer demand for convenience. 

The Big Opportunity: Google’s Next Move 

If Google were to bundle services like Google One, YouTube Premium, and AI tools into a unified offering, the potential growth could be astronomical. Consider the following use cases that could drive adoption: 

• Content Creators and Power Users: Users who upload and store large files—whether videos, photos, or documents—would greatly benefit from additional cloud storage combined with ad-free video consumption. Throw in AI-powered productivity tools, and this becomes an irresistible deal for creators. 

• Families and Multi-Device Users: With multiple devices connected to one account, a unified subscription would allow families to store, stream, and manage content across all their gadgets. This offers both convenience and cost savings. 

• Privacy-Conscious Users: Google One’s VPN and dark web monitoring features would appeal to users concerned about online privacy. Combining this with YouTube Premium and other tools gives users a more complete, secure online experience. 

By bundling these services into one plan, Google could significantly boost user engagement and loyalty while simplifying the subscription landscape. It’s a logical step that could elevate Google’s already powerful ecosystem to new heights. 

Conclusion: A Google Prime Could Be the Future 

It’s not hard to imagine a future where Google offers a single subscription service that combines Google One storage, YouTube Premium, and advanced AI tools, catering to the diverse yet overlapping needs of millions of users. With over 100 million subscribers on both Google One and YouTube Premium, the foundation is already laid. Google just needs to pull the trigger on bundling these offerings together. 

Such a move could not only boost retention rates and expand the user base but also offer users a simpler, more valuable experience. In a world where subscription fatigue is real, a Google Prime could be the one subscription users simply can’t refuse. 

Olio Jobs 💼

• Metronome | Remote - Software Engineer (Platform), Software Engineer (Full Stack)

• Replicate | San Francisco, CA - Data Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, Product Engineer

• Hex | San Francisco, CA & New York, NY - AI Engineer, Product Engineering Lead, Fullstack Engineer (Hex Magic)

• Headway | Remote - Director of Engineering (Patient), Senior Backend Software Engineer, Engineering Manager (Claims Engine)

• Tavus | San Francisco, CA/Remote - AI Research Scientist, Software Engineer (ML), Staff Full Stack Software Engineer

• Varda | El Segundo, CA - Trajectory Analysis Engineer, Senior Flight Software Engineer, Senior Electromechanical Engineer, Senior Integration & Test Engineer

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That’s all for this week. If you enjoyed this edition, we’d really appreciate if you shared it with a friend, family member or colleague.

We’ll be back in your inbox 2 PM IST next Wednesday. Till then, have a productive week!

Peeyush and Mohit

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.