Page breaks his silence: Google boss on Android, PCs and why Google TV is wow.
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Google’s CEO Larry Page, who just found his voice again after a mystery illness, had plenty to say about his believed Google and what’s in store, at an earnings call, yesterday.
The Internet boss was also forced to fend off criticism from analysts irked as Google, normally the bearer of good growth numbers, missed analyst estimates, with net profit slumping to $2.18 billion compared to $2.73bn in same time 2011.
“Not bad for a teenager”, Google’s boss declared, referring to the just announced $14.10bn revenue, a climb of 45%.
He also spoke of the multi screen world where smartphones, tablets and PCs have seamless and interactive content, and corrected an analyst who wished to focus on the desktop platform, in particular.
“We’re really starting to live in a new reality, where the ubiquity of the screens helps users move from intent to action much faster and more seamlessly,” Page said.
Read: Oops! Google Earnings Cock-Up, Shares Halt
The ‘transition’ from PC searches to mobile wont affect Google’s future performance, he insisted:
“We have a policy of not talking about the future. I tend to be very impatient. I think that we’re positioned very well and uniquely well because we have a significant fraction on mobile.
“Monetization on mobile queries is a significant fraction of desktop. We’re living the best of both worlds. We’re able to move existing ads over to mobile and able to really innovate using Android and our strength of having ads on other platforms.”
Google is “uniquely positioned to get through that transition and profit” from the move to mobile Internet, Page insisted, citing Google’s Android OS, the most popular mobile platform, globally.
And speaking of Android, the green man OS has enjoyed the sale of half a billion plus Android devices, and over 1.3 million activations per day. In terms of how to make hard cash off mobile (Android is not a major money spinner) he added:
“We’re working on changes, we’ve been investing in the space for a long time, our mobile monetization isn’t zero.”
The Wall Street Journal notes Page “is pausing after every few words to take a deep breath and is speaking very slowly.”
Here’s what Page said about the anticipated Google TV (only available on Sony in Oz at present)
“We’re excited about television and we have been for a while. We’ve had Google TV as a product for quite some time, I’ve used it. It’s great to have a real browser on your television.
“YouTube is integrated on many devices, from DVD players and so-on to game consoles. We obviously are working hard to get distribution for YouTube, for Chrome and for the Internet as a whole on television screens. “
However, “we’re still in the early stages of that,” he added.
On Page’s vision for YouTube, he likens the video site to a TV entertainment centre:
“YouTube transitioned for me a year ago to something that could keep me entertained for hours on the TV. It could play back lots of high quality, highly-exciting things”
Google’s CEO spoke of “tremendously-increasing” YouTube usage, it continues to grow like crazy, and making money off it.
39-year old Page also spoke of recent horse-dancing Internet sensation “Gangnam Style” video with over 500 million views and how YouTube can be a distribution platform for content.
“That kind of thing to flip a switch, turn it on, get worldwide distribution.”
And on that mucky issue of Google’s relationship with arch rival Apple (lest we forget its fruity recently booted Google Maps from iOS 6), Google CFO Patrick Pirchette said:
“We’re a great partner with Apple, we’re a great partner for everyone.”
Earlier this week, Page, also spoke for half an hour with a raspy voice to an audience of several hundred people at Google’s annual Zeitgeist conference in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Among other topics he discussed Google’s dealings with US and European antitrust regulators and the recent flap with Apple over maps software.
Page didn’t explain the nature of the ailment which has affected his speaking but said he was “still a little hoarse but I’m here and I’m happy about that.”
He said he is “hopeful” Google will be able to “work well” with antitrust regulators and resolve probes of its business in the European Union and the US.
He added: “I do think over-regulation of the Internet and restriction of what people can do is a big risk for us.” He also touched on the issue of maps software, but didn’t say whether Google will introduce a Google Maps app for Apple’s iPhone and iPad.
