Without Google, navigating through the vast digital world today would seem quite impossible.
Since its inception, the tech giant has continued to transform virtually all aspects of our lives, inject simplicity into complex scenarios, and connect people to information at an unprecedented scale.
But, who pioneered this globally recognized digital space? The search engine and ecosystem of Google sprouted from the innovative minds of Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Table of Contents
Who Invented Google?
The creation of the widely-used internet platform, Google, was masterminded not by casual tech enthusiasts but by industrious scholars from the Stanford institution.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin were Ph.D. students with a vision to change the way people interact with information on the World Wide Web. The two scholars conceived the idea of a unique search engine that would organize search results based on the popularity of web pages.
Initially known as ‘Backrub,’ the search engine underwent structural and conceptual refinements before emerging as the Google we know today.
How Was Google Originally Named?
Early in its formation, Google was originally named ‘Backrub.’ As Larry Page and Sergey Brin envisaged creating an exhaustive store of Internet information, they sought to rebrand their innovative tool in 1997.
The term they chose was “Google”, a skewed spelling of ‘Googol,’ a mathematical term that describes the digit ‘1’ followed by 100 zeros. This name change was not just a play on words.
Instead, it was a massive statement of intent that succinctly captured the founders’ audacious mission to organize the boundless amount of information available on the web.
When Was Google Invented?
Google was actually invented on September 4th, 1998. Breaking down the timelines leading to the blossoming of this world-class search engine, the idea originated during the founders’ academic pursuits at Stanford University in the mid-’90s.
After a couple of years of refining their ideas and platform, Larry Page and Sergey Brin launched Google officially in September 1998, introducing a unique tool designed to simplify the search for information in the expanding digital cosmos.
History of Google
Google’s evolution since its inception is a compelling narrative highlighting technological breakthroughs, gargantuan business moves, and paradigm-shifting milestones.
READ MORE: Internet Business: A History
The duo’s days of operating from their dorm rooms transitioned swiftly as Google grew in leaps. By 1999, the search engine was processing a staggering 500,000 searches daily necessitating a move to a proper business headquarters in Palo Alto, California.
In 2001, Google received a patent lending credibility to its distinct algorithm, ‘PageRank rooted in the founders’ groundbreaking research. The ensuing years ushered in the creation and launch of more revolutionary services like Google AdWords.
Google AdSense, Google News, Gmail, and the trusty Google Maps. In addition, the company spread its wings to cover mobile devices after acquiring Android in 2005.
In what was one of its most massive business moves, Google added the popular video-sharing platform, YouTube, to its portfolio in 2006, indicating its ambitious drive to dominate various aspects of digital life.
Google’s Contribution to Education
Google has had an immense impact on the educational sector. Beyond being a search tool for learners and educators, Google introduced G Suite for Education (now Google Workspace for Education), which includes apps like Classroom, Meet, and Google Drive.
These platforms have not only facilitated learning and teaching but also communication and collaboration in educational institutions. In addition, Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature, making research easier for students and researchers alike.
Google’s Growth and Expansion
From its search engine genesis, Google has grown into a multi-faceted technology company.
Google’s expansion into various products and services from cloud computing with Google Cloud to hardware products such as Google Home and Pixel phones speaks volumes about its diversification strategy.
Moreover, the company’s foray into autonomous driving through Waymo points towards Google’s desire to spearhead the technological transformation of various industries and sectors.
Google’s Role in the Mobile Industry
Google has been a game-changer in the mobile industry with the introduction of its Android operating system.
The open-source operating system quickly gained popularity for its diversification and personalization possibilities, making it the choice of various phone manufacturers worldwide.
Additionally, Google Play Store gives developers a platform to distribute their apps, driving the growth of the mobile app industry.
Google Now and Beyond
From a dream in a Stanford dorm room to a dominant global force, Google’s breakthroughs have been transformative across many walks of life.
Its tech products, features, and services, including the search engine, Android operating system, Google Maps, and Google Assistant, among others, have become staples of modern living.
Today, Google continues to pave the way, pushing the boundaries of technology in areas like artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, machine learning, and cloud computing, all designed to usher in the future of digitally driven realities.
The Impact of Google’s Invention
The revolution that Google brought upon its entrance is incalculable.
From making the world’s information universally accessible and useful to catalyzing a paradigm shift in digital advertising, Google’s influence has been comprehensive.
It also created new opportunities and economic ecosystems, spearheading the tech revolution that has birthed many other tech enterprises.
Google’s creation wasn’t just about making another product; it was about scripting a phenomenal change with an indelible impact on human lives.
The change in the way the world accesses, uses and interacts with information owes a significant debt to the innovation of Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Today, Google is a testament to the power of innovation, symbolizing more than just a search engine, but an entity that continues to shape the contours of the internet and the digital world at large.
Fitzpatrick, Alex (September 4, 2014). “Google Used to Be the Company That Did ‘Nothing But Search'”. Time.
Jack, Simon (November 21, 2017). “Google – powerful and responsible?”. BBC News.
Feiner, Lauren (December 3, 2019). “Larry Page steps down as CEO of Alphabet, Sundar Pichai to take over”. CNBC.
Booker, Logan (March 17, 2013). “Google Graveyard Does Exist”. Gizmodo.
“Our history in depth”. Google Company. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012.
D’Onfro, Jillian (February 13, 2016). “How a billionaire who wrote Google’s original code created a robot revolution”. Business Insider.
Battelle, John (August 2005). “The Birth of Google”. Wired.
Koller, David (January 2004). “Origin of the name “Google””. Stanford University.
“The Invention And History Of Google | Silicon Valley: The Untold Story”. YouTube. Discovery UK.
Fisher, Adam (July 10, 2018). “Brin, Page, and Mayer on the Accidental Birth of the Company that Changed Everything”. Vanity Fair.
“A Brief History of Google – Part 1 – Sebo Marketing”. Sebo Marketing.