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Why Google Wants To Sell You a Wi-Fi Router

Posted by timothy on from the why-do-you-think? dept.

lpress writes: Last quarter, Google made $16 billion on advertising and $1.7 billion on "other sales." I don't know how "other sales" breaks down, but a chunk of that is hardware devices like the Pixel Chromebook, Chromecast, Next thermostat, Nexus phone and, now, WiFi routers. Does the world need another $200 home router? Why would Google bother? I can think of a couple of strategic reasons — they hope it will become a home-automation hub (competing with the Amazon Echo) and it will enable them to dynamically configure and upgrade your home or small office network for improved performance (hence more ads).

8 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. ADVERTISING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They want to control your network. They want to inject advertising into everything you do. They want you to have no choice but to use DNS servers they control.

    This isn't some benevolent endeavor, its purpose is to make money by selling you again.

    1. Re:ADVERTISING by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No, I think it's quite a bit more subtle than that. Trying to inject advertising into your internet stream would be a ham-handed approach the idiots at Lenovo would try. Google is more clever than to slit their own device's throat with something so stupid as that.

      Google has a vested interest in improving people's online experience. That's why they invest in all sorts of network/internet technology, including a web browser they give out for free, fiber access to homes, and under-the-hood improvements to internet communication standards that make things more efficient and more secure. They want people to be safe, secure, and happy to be online. They want people connected to the internet all the time, with fast and stable connections, and they've seen that the current market of wifi routers is pretty much garbage, in terms of features, stability, and security.

      ALL OF THIS relates to encouraging people to stay online, which in turn means relying on Google services, which they can then mine for data to sell to advertisers, which is how they earn their money. Yes, it's about advertising in the end, but not like you're thinking.

      --
      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
    2. Re: ADVERTISING by FranTaylor · · Score: 5, Insightful

      True. I can hardly think of a company I'd trust less

      chinese router companies laugh at your ignorance

    3. Re:ADVERTISING by Wycliffe · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They want to control your network. They want to inject advertising into everything you do. They want you to have no choice but to use DNS servers they control.

      This isn't some benevolent endeavor, its purpose is to make money by selling you again.

      I agree with the first part: "They want to control your network" but I don't think the intent is to screw with your network. I think the intent is actually defensive and it's to keep other people from screwing with your network. Same with DNS servers. They want to provide fast and reliable DNS servers so that their own service is fast and reliable. I think that's the same reason they initially entered the mobile phone market and the ISP market.. They are scared of walled gardens and the more they control the connection from you to them then the less dependent they are on the whims of some other corporation that would like to interfere with and steal their customers.

  2. Re:Ulterior motive implied by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Speculation hey?

    1: Release Google Branded Router with a user friendly way of updating firmware.
    2: Deploy routers to as many locations across the US/World as possible.
    3: Introduce a patch allowing users to use some of their bandwidth as part of Google's 'Project Fi' (messaging & voice over WiFi).
    4: Introduce a patch allowing users to share a small portion of their bandwidth with other users as part of Project Fi - extending googles network coverage.

    Admittedly home users might not be so interested in sharing their bandwidth for text/voice but small business and community ventures in areas with poor cell coverage? I think this could definitely be something that would interest them :)

  3. Why? It's obvious... by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ....they want to be able to mine your data at the lowest possible level, have a handy backdoor available in case the NSA comes calling, and so they can insert their own ads on every page of every website you ever browse.

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
  4. Re:Ulterior motive implied by dgatwood · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, I was thinking much the same, except slightly more cynically:

    1. Develop a faster negotiation scheme for 802.11 with encryption that involves extra data in the beacon frame plus a single ARP with shortened delay waiting for a response
    2. Make changes to improve handoff speed between 802.11 and LTE
    3. Become an MVNO for Android devices
    4. Silently introduce a software update that automatically shares a portion of your bandwidth with Android cell phones for voice call purposes
    --

    Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  5. Consumer Routers are Junk by Luthair · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Unfortunately the trend for the past 10-years has been ever worse consumer router hardware, a lack of security updates, decreasing performance and increasing prices. Further, a number of manufacturers have been going down the 'cloud' rathole. The industry is as bad as the telcos & cable, I for one welcome our new Google overlords.

    While I'd rather run a pfsense box, these may still turn out to be much better than standard routers and be the one to recommend to your friends & family.