Integration, integration and more integration. That's the theme of a lengthy state-of-Google blog post by CEO Larry Page, which was published on the company's Investor Relations blog on Thursday.
"We have always believed that it’s possible to make money without being evil," Page writes, echoing the company's recent statements to Congress.
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"In fact, healthy revenue is essential if we are to change the world through innovation, and hire (and retain) great people."
The update runs through Google's successes, as well as its plans for this year and beyond. Page wrote about Google's desire to focus on big ideas and take "uncomfortably exciting" risks.
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"It may sound nuts, but I’ve found that it’s easier to make progress on mega-ambitious goals than on less risky projects," he writes.
"Few people are crazy enough to try, and the best people always want to work on the biggest challenges. We've also found that “failed” ambitious projects often yield other dividends."
Some key highlights:
More than one million businesses now use Google’s advertising products, Page writes. He goes on to say the mobile advertising space is rapidly growing.
Page reiterates the claim that Google+ has 100 million active users, but doesn't define "active". Previous claims have included users of Google+ integrated products -- such as Gmail and Google Maps.
So far, there have been more than 120 Google+ integrations, writes Page, to ensure a seamless and intuitive online experience from one Google product to another.
Gmail now has 350 million users. AdSense, which has paid more than $30 billion to partners, was the result of a “failed” project, he writes.
"In 2006, when Google acquired YouTube, we faced a lot of skepticism. Today, YouTube has over 800 million monthly users uploading over an hour of video per second," Page writes.
See a theme here?
Google takes challenges head-on and aims to be a company "deserving of great love," the CEO says. Its future endeavors include refining Google search and continuing to invest in security.
In light of the fact Google is in the process of acquiring Motorola Mobility, Page assures Android users it will continue to be an "open ecosystem."
What jumps out for you in Page's letter to investors? Tell us in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
