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Technology companies are constantly innovating and developing new products and services. But what do they actually do? We take a look at the various activities tech companies undertake.
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Google is one of the largest and most popular tech companies in the world. They provide a variety of services including search, advertising, apps, and more. They are constantly innovating and expanding their reach. Let’s take a closer look at what Google does.
Search Engine
Google is a multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products. These include online advertising technologies, search, cloud computing, software, and hardware. Google was founded in 1996 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University in California. Together they own about 14 percent of its shares and control 56 percent of the stockholder voting power through supervoting stock. They incorporated Google as a privately held company on September 4, 1998. An initial public offering (IPO) took place on August 19, 2004, and Google moved to its headquarters in Mountain View, California, nicknamed the Googleplex. In August 2015, Google announced plans to reorganize its various interests as a conglomerate called Alphabet Inc. Google is Alphabet’s leading subsidiary and will continue to be the umbrella company for Alphabet’s Internet interests. Sundar Pichai was appointed CEO of Google, replacing Larry Page who became the CEO of Alphabet.
Android
Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google. It is used by a number of manufacturers as the “native” operating system for their devices. Android has a large user base and a large number of applications available from the Google Play store. Android is based on the Linux kernel and uses the Java programming language.
Chrome
Chrome is a free and open-source web browser developed by Google. It was first released in September 2008, for Microsoft Windows, and was later ported to Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android. The browser is available in over 150 languages.
Google launched Chrome as a direct response to Microsoft’s Edge browser. Google’s primary motivation for developing Chrome was to create a modern web browser that would be more standards-compliant than Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and more powerful than Apple’s Safari.
Amazon
Amazon is an American electronic commerce and cloud computing company with headquarters in Seattle, Washington. It is the largest Internet-based retailer in the world by total sales and market capitalization. Amazon.com was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994.
E-commerce
E-commerce is the activity of buying or selling of products on online services or over the Internet. Electronic commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems.
Modern electronic commerce typically uses the World Wide Web for at least one part of the transaction’s life cycle although it may also use other technologies such as e-mail. Typical e-commerce transactions include the purchase of online books (such as Amazon) and music purchases (music download in the form of digital distribution such as iTunes Store), and to a less extent, customized/personalized online liquor store inventory services. There are three areas of e-commerce: online retailing, electric markets, and online auctions. E-commerce is supported by electronic business.
E-commerce businesses may employ some or all of the followings:
1. Online shopping web sites for retail sales direct to consumers via Web sites. Retailers include online storefronts, virtual marketplaces, brand name manufacturers selling to first time buy via Web sites and pure play eRetailers offering products via Web sites only;
2. Providing or participating in online marketplaces, which process and distribute orders for items from many sources;
3. Business-to-business buying and selling;
4. Gathering and using demographic data through Web contacts and social media
5. Business-to-government purchasing / G2G ;
6. Securing funding from venture capitalists or other investors; and
7. Engaging in e-procurement activities from suppliers notifying them about new business opportunities through an open application programming interface ([API](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface “Application programming interface”)).
AWS
AWS is a cloud computing platform that offers a variety of services, including compute, storage, databases, analytics, networking, and deployment. AWS is used by many large companies, including Netflix, Airbnb, and Facebook.
Kindle
The Kindle is a series of Amazon e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon. AmazonKindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download and read e-books, newspapers, magazines and other digital media via wireless networking to the Kindle Store. The first-generation Kindle was released on November 19, 2007.
The most recent Kindle, the Kindle Oasis (9th Generation), was released on July 24, 2019. Amazon also offers the Fire HD tablet line in 7″, 8″ and 10″ screen sizes; these devices are designed primarily for multimedia consumption (including web browsing, video streaming, gaming and music) and include Alexa functionality.
Facebook is an online social networking service that allows users to connect with friends and family. It was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook allows users to share photos, videos, and links.
Social Network
Facebook is a social networking service that allows users to connect with friends and family. It was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook allows users to share photos, video, and status updates.
Instagram is a photo-sharing and video-sharing social networking service owned by Facebook, Inc. It was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, and launched in October 2010 exclusively on iOS. A version for Android devices was released a year and half later in April 2012, followed by a feature-limited website interface in November 2012, a Fire OS app on June 15, 2014 and an app for Windows 10 tablets and personal computers on October 6, 2016. The app allows users to upload photos and videos to the service, which can be edited with various filters, and organized with tags and location information. An account’s posts can be shared publicly or with pre-approved followers. Users can browse other users’ content by tags and locations, and view trending content. Users can “like” photos, follow other users to add their content to a feed.
WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. WhatsApp Messenger is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia and yes, those phones can all message each other! Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends.
Apple
Apple is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. The company’s hardware products include the iPhone smartphone, the iPad tablet computer, the Mac personal computer, the iPod portable media player, the Apple Watch smartwatch, the Apple TV digital media player, and the HomePod smart speaker. Apple’s software includes the macOS and iOS operating systems, the iTunes media player, the Safari web browser, and the iWork and iLife creativity and productivity suites. Its online services include the iTunes Store, the iOS App Store, and Mac App Store, Apple Music, and iCloud.
Hardware
While many people think of Apple as a software company, they are also a hardware company. They design and develop their own line of Personal Computers, tablets, smartphones, wearables, and home appliances. Many of their products are industry leaders, and their designs are often imitated by other hardware manufacturers.
Apple’s hardware products include the iPhone, iPad, Macbook, iMac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. They also sell third-party accessories for their devices including cases, screen protectors, and headphones. In recent years, they have been working on developing their own chipsets to replace those supplied by Intel and Qualcomm.
Software
Software is a set of computer programs, procedures, and possibly associated documentation concerned with the operation of a data processing system. A software system may be developed for a particular customer or may be of general application. The software system is usually divided into two major classes: systems software and application software.
Systems software provides an operating system, utilities, and other support for application development and execution. Application software consists of user-oriented programs that Manipulate data for specific purposes or perform specific user tasks such as word processing or database management
Services
Apple provides a variety of services, including the App Store, iCloud, Apple Music, and more. These services are available on all of the company’s devices, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Services generate revenue through monthly subscriptions and transaction fees. In 2019, services generated $46.3 billion in revenue for Apple, representing 18% of the company’s total sales.
