Comments

**IronRain** · #1

CBC news: Google Play launches as online entertainment hub

Google launched Google Play Tuesday - an entertainment hub which will house movies, music, e-books, games and apps in one location.

"Starting today, Android Market, Google Music and the Google eBookstore will become part of Google Play," Jamie Rosenberg, director of digital content said in a blog post.

Google Play is cloud-based, which means everything you buy or rent will be stored online. The search engine giant hopes to make moving from the web to Android devices a seamless experience. Anyone with a Google account will be able to sign in can start shopping immediately.

The music section of Google Play is essentially Google Music renamed. In Google Play music you can store up to 20,000 songs for free. If you've already activated Google Music, all of your music will already be online.

Perhaps the newest addition to the Google family is movie rentals, which adds another big name in the movie streaming arena to compete with Apple iTunes Store and Amazon Instant Video.

One of the most peculiar changes is the switch from the Android Market app to the Google Play Store app on Android phones or tablets.

"While a phenomenally successful platform with broad adoption, Android Market has struggled to generate the kind of revenue Apple's App Store sees with its apps," said CNET's Greg Sandoval and Roger Cheng.

Why is that? Google offers much of the same services that Apple or Amazon do, but the brand doesn't seem to be a reactionary "go-to" market place for consumers. And consider the amount of Google account holders. According to a Jan. 2012 earnings call, Google reported 350 million active Gmail users.

The shift to unify the services in Google Play will make it easier for consumers to refer to one name, like the iTunes Store or Amazon, rather than the disjointed Google Music, Android Market and Google eBookstore brands.

**IronRain** · 03-07-2012, 10:09 AM

Since I have an HTC mobile, I'm really interested when I will receive this update because I don't get my updates directly from Google (but from HTC). And later this month I will get Android 4 so I'll just wait and see..

EDIT: I pressed the 'submit reply' button, went back to my phone, opened the market and received the update

Ark · 03-09-2012, 02:33 AM

Android Market was a perfect, descriptive, factual name. Now they've gone to some vague marketing committee-generated name that means nothing in an attempt to compete with Apple's systemic preference for style over substance.

Wonderful.

**IronRain** · 03-09-2012, 09:46 AM

Yes, I agree. I understand what they are trying to do and I do think that it's a good think to get all the media in one place.. but why change the name?

jedidia · 03-09-2012, 10:23 AM

Quote:

but why change the name?

Because Google is a name with much more public recognison than Android. My Mother knows Google, she doesn't know android, and that despite the fact she's working with an android phone in her job. It's a perfectly valid marketing decision, and one that almost certainly will pay off. It has nothing to do with watering down.

**IronRain** · 03-09-2012, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jedidia

Because Google is a name with much more public recognison than Android. My Mother knows Google, she doesn't know android, and that despite the fact she's working with an android phone in her job. It's a perfectly valid marketing decision, and one that almost certainly will pay off. It has nothing to do with watering down.

True but look at the people who already know Android. Android is the OS of the device, so Android Market just makes sense. What's the next step? Renaming Android to Chrome OS mobile?

jedidia · 03-09-2012, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Renaming Android to Chrome OS mobile?

Would that be such a problem? As long as it offers the same quality, I don't care what it's called.

**IronRain** · 03-09-2012, 11:41 AM

I like Droid..

03-07-2012, 10:09 AM	#2
IronRain Orbinaut	Since I have an HTC mobile, I'm really interested when I will receive this update because I don't get my updates directly from Google (but from HTC). And later this month I will get Android 4 so I'll just wait and see.. EDIT: I pressed the 'submit reply' button, went back to my phone, opened the market and received the update Last edited by IronRain; 03-07-2012 at 10:13 AM.

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03-09-2012, 02:33 AM	#3
Ark Orbinaut	Android Market was a perfect, descriptive, factual name. Now they've gone to some vague marketing committee-generated name that means nothing in an attempt to compete with Apple's systemic preference for style over substance. Wonderful.

03-09-2012, 09:46 AM	#4
IronRain Orbinaut	Yes, I agree. I understand what they are trying to do and I do think that it's a good think to get all the media in one place.. but why change the name?

03-09-2012, 10:23 AM	#5
jedidia shoemaker without legs	Quote: but why change the name? Because Google is a name with much more public recognison than Android. My Mother knows Google, she doesn't know android, and that despite the fact she's working with an android phone in her job. It's a perfectly valid marketing decision, and one that almost certainly will pay off. It has nothing to do with watering down.

03-09-2012, 10:32 AM	#6
IronRain Orbinaut	Quote: Originally Posted by jedidia Because Google is a name with much more public recognison than Android. My Mother knows Google, she doesn't know android, and that despite the fact she's working with an android phone in her job. It's a perfectly valid marketing decision, and one that almost certainly will pay off. It has nothing to do with watering down. True but look at the people who already know Android. Android is the OS of the device, so Android Market just makes sense. What's the next step? Renaming Android to Chrome OS mobile?

03-09-2012, 10:42 AM	#7
jedidia shoemaker without legs	Quote: Renaming Android to Chrome OS mobile? Would that be such a problem? As long as it offers the same quality, I don't care what it's called.