Google 'social layers' coming this fall, Google Me still all hype

Google 'social layers' coming this fall, Google Me still all hype

Filed under: Web services, Google, Social Software

Remember how something called Google Me was supposed to be Google's Facebook-killing secret weapon? Well, the plan to introduce new social features that Google announced on Tuesday does not sound like Google Me. In fact, nobody at Google has ever confirmed that Google Me is an actual product in development. Let's back away from the hype machine for a minute and look at what Google has actually told us.

According to Reuters, Google will add "social layers" to its existing products via acquisitions, and the layers will focus on improving Google's bread and butter, search and recommendations. That's something Eric Schmidt has made public, telling reporters, "We're trying to take Google's core products and add a social component. If you think about it, it's obvious. With your permission, knowing more about who your friends are, we can provide more tailored recommendations. Search quality can get better."

That doesn't sound like a Facebook-killer to me. It sounds like a plan to aggregate as much Facebook-like social data as possible, in order to improve recommendations, which increases ad revenue. Reports of Google Me are greatly exaggerated at the moment, but one aspect of the rumors does seem to fit with Schmidt's acquisition plan: Google might get into social gaming. My best guess? Don't expect Google's own Facebook any time soon, but do look for existing Google services to do a better job of integrating and sharing your Google Contacts, and do look for a Google Games offering as early as this fall.

[via Engadget]

Google 'social layers' coming this fall, Google Me still all hype originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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