What’s Inside Alphabet? A Deep Dive into Google’s 26 Projects

Google announced an internal restructuring, creating a new holding company called Alphabet (the English word for “alphabet”). All of Google’s internal projects are named after the 26 letters of the alphabet, each representing a distinct initiative.

A: Android – Acquired in August 2005, Android was launched in 2008 and later named its versions after desserts; by July 2011 it became the world’s most widely used smartphone OS.

B: Boston Dynamics – Originally a U.S. military robotics firm, acquired by Google last year; it builds humanoid and animal‑inspired robots, including the “Cheetah” which set a world record of 28 mph for quadruped speed.

C: Calico – Launched in August 2013 as a mission‑driven company to tackle aging‑related diseases and decline in physical and mental agility, using Google’s resources to combat death.

D: DeepMind – Acquired in 2014 for $400 million to strengthen Google’s artificial‑intelligence capabilities and develop AI systems that can operate future devices.

E: Google Earth/Maps – A virtual globe that combines satellite imagery, aerial photography, and GIS into a 3‑D model, with plans to add space and ocean maps.

F: Google Fiber – Provides gigabit‑speed broadband and TV to a limited number of U.S. cities, offering speeds 100 times faster than typical residential connections.

G: Google Glass – The first consumer version was poorly received, but a second‑generation enterprise‑focused model is planned to improve workplace efficiency.

H: Hangouts – A group video‑chat platform built on cloud‑computing technology, storing conversations long‑term and offering over 850 hand‑drawn emojis.

I: Google Ideas – A think‑tank that leverages Google’s brand and resources to propose solutions for counter‑terrorism, radicalism, nuclear proliferation, and global development.

J: Jump – A VR camera co‑developed with GoPro that captures 360° video; the footage is processed by the Jump app into realistic 3D VR clips.

K: Knowledge Graph – Enables Google Search to understand entities such as people, places, and things, expanding its knowledge base as users query more topics.

L: Google+ Local – Launched in 2012 to replace Google Places, integrating Google Maps and Zagat ratings to recommend businesses and restaurants.

M: Makani – Develops airborne wind‑energy generators that use tethered, unmanned kite‑like rotors flying 800‑2000 ft to generate electricity.

N: Nest – Founded by “iPod father” Tony Fadell in 2011; its smart thermostats learn user habits, and Google acquired Nest for $3.2 billion in 2014 to enter the smart‑home market.

O: Google Offers – A 2011‑launched group‑buying and discount service offering local deals with up to 50% off.

P: Project Loon – Uses high‑altitude balloons to deliver low‑cost internet to remote or disaster‑struck areas, aiming to close connectivity gaps.

Q: Nexus Q – A spherical media streaming device unveiled at I/O, essentially a small Android‑based computer for home entertainment.

R: reCaptcha – Acquired from Carnegie Mellon University; instead of typing distorted text, users simply check “I’m not a robot” to verify they are human.

S: Skybox Imaging – A satellite imaging company bought by Google, providing high‑resolution terrain and video data to enhance Google Maps and Earth.

T: Google Translate – Launched in 2006, now supports translation between 41 languages, even handling poetry with surprising results.

U: URL Shortener – Introduced in December 2009, this service creates short links from long URLs with a simple web interface.

V: Autonomous Vehicles – Google’s self‑driving cars combine AI, computer vision, radar, and GPS to operate without human input, currently undergoing road testing.

W: Android Wear – A wearable extension of Android that merges Google Now features with fitness‑tracking apps.

X: Google X – Google’s secretive “moonshot” lab staffed by top experts from tech firms and academia, working on robotics, IoT, autonomous vehicles, and other breakthrough projects.

Y: YouTube – Founded on Valentine’s Day 2005 and acquired by Google in 2006 for $1.65 billion; it now serves billions of users with video upload, distribution, and streaming services.

Z: Project Zero – Launched in July 2014, this security initiative discovers, tracks, and patches global software vulnerabilities to make the internet safer.