Google reveals new logo for mobile world

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology

Image copyrightGoogle

Image captionThe updated logo drops the "serif" style of the earlier incarnation

Google has unveiled a new logo for its core search services.

The change smoothes out some of the features in the letters that make up the well-known colourful logo spelling out its name.

It said the change was needed because people were now reaching Google on lots of mobile devices rather than just desktop computers.

The change comes after Google put its many divisions under an umbrella company called Alphabet.

It said that the logo, and its many variations, would work better on the many different-sized screens through which people used or encountered Google and its services. As well as the full logo of the company's name, it also plans to use four dots in its signature blue, red, yellow and green colours and a single, multi-coloured capital "G" to represent it.

Google announced the change on its official blog and illustrated what was different via a series of animated gifs. It said the revamped logo was "simple, uncluttered, colorful, friendly" and represented the best of Google.

Google logos — Image captionGoogle's original 1998 logo changed several times before taking on a "flat" look in 2013

It also provided a much more detailed explanation of what drove it to change the logo. One key challenge for the designers, it said, was to refine "what makes us Googley".

Google last updated its logo in September 2013.

Writing on Creative Review, Mark Sinclair said the shift was significant because before now Google had resisted doing the same as other tech companies many of which adopted a "simpler and often blander" look when they updated their official insignia.

By contrast, he said, Google had kept its "scrappier demeanour" but this latest update showed the company had indeed "smartened itself up".

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Google overtakes Apple as world's top brand: survey

Technology

Google overtakes Apple as world's top brand: survey

AFP News

May 21, 2014

US search engine Google has overtaken rival technology titan Apple as the world's top brand in terms of value, global market research agency Millward Brown said Wednesday.

Google's brand value shot up 40 percent in a year to $158.84 billion (115 billion euros), Millward Brown said in its 2014 100 Top BrandZ report.

"Google has been extremely innovative this year with Google

Glass, investments in artificial intelligence and a range of partnerships," said Benoit Tranzer, the head of Millward Brown France.

Google Glass is Internet-linked eyewear for which the firm has joined hands with Luxottica, a frame giant behind Ray-Ban and other high-end brands, to sell the new product in the United States.

"All these activities send a very strong signal to consumers about the essence of Google," Tranzer said.

Apple, which dominated the top position for three straight years, saw its brand value fall by 20 percent to $147.88 billion.

The top 10 of the 100 slots were dominated by US firms. IBM was in third place at $107.54 billion, a fall of 4 percent, followed by Microsoft at $90.19 billion -- a 29 percent rise.

Fast food chain McDonald's ranked next at $85.71 billion, followed by Coca Cola ($80.68 billion), it said.

China led in the insurance sector with Ping An valued at $12.4 billion and China Life ($12 billion).

French luxury goods manufacturer Louis Vuitton ranked 30th overall but was the top luxury brand with a value of more than $25 billion.

Brand value is calculated on the basis of the firms' financial performance and their standing among consumers.