The matter below may not merit further mindspace – we may have done it to death. I write this post because I went back to that Q&A session to get a better feel for what was said, and I transcribed bits of it as well as I could, especially the bit about Google dropping something. My best effort at writing Rob Newman's words are. “. . . a number of governments have depended on Google imagery that is now not available, so that was a factor that drove growth in Year 2, because these government departments, and commercial customers, were expecting Google, to turn off their data, as they did on 31st December.” I am unsure what year Rob meant by Year 2.
It is easy to learn via Internet that Google launched Google Earth on the web in 2017, and axed its Google Earth desktop app at the same time. However, what is vague is the word “axed” in relation to 2017. Was there a period of grace until 31 December of that year, or a later year? It is also easy to learn that Google Earth on the desktop included historical imagery that was not included in Google Earth on the web, but does this mean it is still excluded form the web app, and if it is, could it be included soon?
I get the impression that Google is only interested in the mass consumer market, and that may mean that making Google Earth historical imagery available is not in Google's best economic interest. Letting a few small players like Nearmap play in the game may help Google defend accusations of abusing its market power.
NEA Price at posting:
$1.65 Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
