Google marked major milestones throughout its history. The company started in 1998. Founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page developed a new search engine. This search engine ranked pages differently. It quickly became popular. Google incorporated the next year.
(Reviewing Ten Key Turning Points in Google’s History)
A big change came in 2000. Google launched AdWords. This advertising system let businesses buy search ads. AdWords became Google’s main money source. It funded future growth. Google went public in 2004. The IPO raised significant funds. It gave Google more power to expand.
Google acquired YouTube in 2006. This move put Google in online video. It became the top video platform. Google also bought Android Inc. earlier. This led to the Android mobile operating system launch. Android now powers most smartphones globally.
Email changed in 2004. Google introduced Gmail. Gmail offered one gigabyte of free storage. This was much more than rivals offered. Gmail changed expectations for webmail. Google Maps arrived in 2005. It provided detailed online maps and directions. It became essential for navigation.
(Reviewing Ten Key Turning Points in Google’s History)
Google released its own web browser in 2008. Chrome entered the market. Chrome focused on speed and simplicity. It gained users rapidly. Chrome is now the world’s most used browser. Google reorganized its structure in 2015. It created Alphabet as a parent company. Sundar Pichai became CEO of Google. This allowed Google to focus on its core internet products.
