An unofficial blog that watches Google's attempts to move your operating system online since 2005. Not affiliated with Google.

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December 31, 2010

Predictions for Google's 2011

1. More free storage in Google Docs: at least 20 GB.

[ update: 15 GB free storage as of May 2013 ]

2. A new HTML5 interface for Gmail that loads faster, stores email offline and integrates with other Google apps like Google Calendar and Google Docs.

[ update: not true ]

3. An updated Android keyboard that uses Google Scribd data to provide useful suggestions.

[ update: The Jelly Bean keyboard features "bigram prediction and correction" (June 2012). ]

4. Google Earth as a WebGL web app and vector-based maps in Google Maps for desktop.

[ update: the new Google Maps interface features a WebGL-powered Google Earth (May 2013) ]

5. A database of things, where you can store important names, book titles, products, concepts and useful information about them.

[ update: not true ]

6. Data sync for Google Chrome extensions.

[ update: available in Chrome 20 (June 2012) ]

7. Chrome for Android, with data sync, web apps, session restore, Cloud Print, built-in Flash and smarter address bar.

[ update: launched in June 2012 (Flash support and web apps not available) ]

8. Google's search engine will answer complex questions using inferences.

[ update: Google Knowledge Search started to address this issue, but it's not yet there ]

9. Google Personal Alerts will notify on your mobile phone if there's something interesting around (one of your friends, a store that offers a discount for one your favorite products, a museum you wanted to visit, a shop recommended by one of your friends).

[ update: Google Now, released in June 2012 ]

10. Google will learn to embrace Facebook and will start using Facebook Connect.

[ update: not true, Google launched Google+ ]

11. Google Online Store: the place where you can download Chrome/Android apps and games, e-books, buy magazine subscriptions, music and movies.

[ update: Google Play, launched in March 2012 (not integrated with Chrome) ]

12. Android's growth will slow down, but it will be the most popular mobile operating system because many companies will use it to create smart media players, digital cameras, TVs, game consoles and even home appliances.

[ update: not true ]

13. Picasa Web Albums will become a Google Docs app and Picnik will switch to HTML5.

[ update: Picasa Web Albums will be replaced by Google+ Photos and Picnik switched to HTML5 and became Google+ Creative Kit (October 2011) ]

14. Google will acquire Disqus to make it easier to manage your comments and to improve Blogger's commenting system.

[ update: not true, but Google unveiled a Disqus-like commenting interface powered by Google+ in April 2013 ]

15. Google Profiles will no longer be optional: when you create a Google/Gmail account, you'll also create a profile.

[ update: almost ]

16. Voice search and visual search for desktop.

[ update: both true (June 2011) ]

17. Google will buy LastPass and offer an online password manager.

[ update: not true, but Chrome started to sync passwords (February 2011) ]

18. Google Wave will be resurrected, but it will have a simplified interface.

[ update: many Wave features are now included in other Google services - Google Docs discussions, contextual spell checking in Google Search, Google Docs and Chrome ]

19. An online music player that will let you listen music from the Google Store or Google Docs, podcasts from Google Reader, online radios and more.

[ update: Google Music, launched in November 2011 (no integration with Reader and online radios) ]

20. Google Fast Flip for web search powered by Google Instant Previews.

[ update: available for mobile phones in March 2011 ]

45 comments:

  1. Forget about Google embracing Facebook. Would never happen.

    And BTW, no prediction as to Google +1?

    ReplyDelete
  2. As Google moves more and more towards web apps, I'm hoping they don't forget about those of us (probably the majority of users around the world) who only have slow and unreliable internet access. As many of their apps as possible should have offline sync. It took them a while to get offline Gmail working properly, but now it's fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
  3. mehdi,
    youtube already has facebook connect.

    actually all of them seems reasonable, except for android growth slowing down. Android growth might slowdown in US true due to verizon iphone, but not in rest of the world.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd suggest re-wording #12 to say "the most popular non-desktop operating system" because TVs, game consoles, home appliances, etc. aren't necessarily mobile.

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  5. "Google will learn to embrace Facebook and will start using Facebook Connect."

    WTF. Why? This is the worst idea I ever heard. I would be extremely disappointed if they did this. Except for a couple minor hiccups, Google has always been a great example of ethics concerning privacy and user data. Facebook is the polar opposite.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Google Wave Resurrected would be sweeet! I hope people will start using it this time. (Oh, and that they keep those quirky scrollbars. Love those buggers!) :P

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  7. Google should enhance Gmail: it should show docs as emails (you could archive them, and it would appear as "new" when updated) and Wave should be integrated in Gmail.

    Furthermore, Google Reader should keep track of twitter and facebook updates.

    And... what about buying TweetDeck?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm always waiting for more Google Docs developments: more free storage (bought 20 GB already), more integration, better editors and better viewers (media players).
    We already know vector-based maps in Google Maps is coming, but WebGL Google Earth would be sweeeet.
    Hoping for more good things in Chrome and Chrome OS.
    Google Wave will NOT be resurrected, NOT even on Easter.

    Hope they come true... HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think #17 is unlikely; Chromium already does password syncing across browsers, and the next version of Chrome is going to have the feature merged in.
    I would like to see #18 happen in some sort of way. Although a clarified interface won't be enough, they'll have to clarify to the general public what it's for.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Video conferencing w/ multiple attendees in GTalk would be great.
    As would Google Buzz for Google Apps users (would replace Yammer in certain companies)

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  11. Well we already know 18 won't happen. It's an apache project now (Apache Wave). If it does "come back" in the sense you suggest (it hasn't gone away yet), it won't be a Google product.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Re: 16
    https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/hhfkcobomkalfdlmkongnhnhahkmnaad

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great post.I think Google should not acquire Disqus.They will lost their relevance as in feedburner case.

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  14. Isn't 5 already true with Freebase?

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  15. How about a tool bar for Google Chrome???

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  16. #10 is batshit crazy.

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  17. Number 10 is totally unbelievable, how could google embrace his enemy? zzzz

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  18. To be able to 'Log in' to Chrome Browser, as a user 'Logs in' to Chrome OS.

    Our home PC is used by family and friends, most use Chrome Browser, if they open a new tab in Chrome Browser, they see -
    My Bookmarks bar
    My email address
    My Apps
    My most vistited
    My recently closed

    I'm sure it's not meant to be like this, but it is!!!!
    Very frustrating.....

    ReplyDelete
  19. I seriously hope 1. and 2. happens..

    10. won't happen, not in 2011 atleast...

    and for 18. I think it will come out with a different name instead :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thank You Google
    (;_;)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Alex, Alex. Where are the somber predictions about Chrome OS falling flat on its face? I suppose Paul Buchheit already wrote that epitaph . . . Does your silence indicate you disagree? I seem to remember seeing somewhere that you do agree with him that Chrome OS will merge into Android, or simply that the OS will be irrelevant.

    Thanks for the post, I really hope most of the predictions come true.

    ReplyDelete
  22. 20. Google Fast Flip for web search powered by Google Instant Previews.

    like that one

    ReplyDelete
  23. @cougar abogado:

    I think Chrome OS will be successful. Not very successful, but it will do well because a lot of people want a simplified computer that doesn't require maintenance and many people rarely use other applications than the browser, a word processing software and a media player. Chrome Web Store and the state of Google's own web apps are instrumental to the Chrome OS success, so it's still difficult to tell. Maybe the form factor is not right and Google should focus on tablets and touchscreen apps.

    ReplyDelete
  24. @Alex. Thanks for the response. I think you're right about the web apps being the key. I can also see how tablets and touch screens are really big right now. On the other hand, I'm very content with the keyboard, and I hope Google stays focused on keyboards with Chrome OS, as Eric Schmidt said it would.

    I know some have said Google will abandon Chrome OS, just like it's abandoned Wave, yet I've also heard Wave was a completely autonomous project . . . limited to Australia. I think Google's got a lot invested in Chrome OS, and it very well may have developed the browser with the OS in mind.

    So long as Google can ramp up Chrome OS's overall speed to where it's been hyped, and so long as OEM's ship Chrome OS devices at around $300, I think many more Chrome OS units will sell than the pundits believe.

    At a minimum, though I doubt Chrome OS is ready for massive initial success, I hope Google stays the course, as Tech Crunch's MG Siegler advocates.

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  25. eagerly waiting for #13: Integration of Picasa n Google Docs

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  26. I hope #15 "when you create a Google/Gmail account, you'll also create a profile" will not happen, and I will still be able to use Gmail without obligation to set up a profile

    pascalv

    ReplyDelete
  27. I hope #15 "when you create a Google/Gmail account, you'll also create a profile" will not happen, and I will still be able to use Gmail without obligation to set up a profile

    pascalv

    ReplyDelete
  28. #21. Google will still not "get" issues of language and location. It will continue to ignore browser and account language settings on all devices and display a mangled UI according to a user's IP address as it has done for years.

    #22. Google will roll out new help forums for porducts and services, without updating any of the help links.

    ReplyDelete
  29. As a postscript to #21. Even though everything I am looking at is English and set to English, when I posted that comment, the Blogger response was "Votre commentaire a été publié."

    ReplyDelete
  30. I hope you are truly an oracle!

    ReplyDelete
  31. What about a Google Journal???

    ReplyDelete
  32. A few more predictions from ChromeAdvisor. Microsoft IE drops below 50% desktop browser share for the first time in 2011, Chrome challenges Firefox for the number 2 spot, with growth accelerating in 2012 as a result of ChromeOS. Major platform shifts over the next few years will radically disrupt the status quo.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I hope for all of them....and ten fold. Does anyone think though that Google has been quite lately? Seems like there hasn't been much new to brag about-which is why I am hoping for something big!

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  34. How about Google Videos? I came to know that ppl around the world had problems uploading videos and using Google Video Uploader @Login Problems.

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  35. Can we have Google Toolbar for Chrome? Then my life would be complete! :D

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  36. Buy and open source IntelliJ Idea ;)

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  37. I do not understand why Google will acquire Disqus to make it easier to manage comments?

    Why Google not launching its own application for manage the blog Comments ?

    ReplyDelete
  38. I have heard elsewhere that often innovations and significant concepts come from combining two or more ideas...therefore Google+FB is a good idea and most likely will happen as we all shape up and prepare to operate on the Cloud!

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  39. 15 is killing me. What about new google adwords adcopy formats? on google.de we've experienced lots of testing these weeks...

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  40. They will lost their relevance as in feedburner case.

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  41. So long as Google can ramp up Chrome OS's overall speed to where it's been hyped, and so long as OEM's ship Chrome OS devices at around $300, I think many more Chrome OS units will sell than the pundits believe.


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    ReplyDelete

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