\n
Google<\/a> unveiled new hardware from smartphones and smart speakers to wireless routers on Tuesday. It was a year-long odyssey that involved design, supply chain negotiations and the search for a manufacturing partner.
\n
Now the Alphabet Inc.<\/a> unit must grapple with the equally daunting challenge of getting the gadgets to consumers. It has a history of retail strategies that either struggled or never got off the ground, according to people familiar with the company’s retail efforts. What’s more, it’s inexperienced dealing with returns and recycling. And unlike rival Apple Inc., the company lacks its own stores where it can showcase hardware as it pleases and instead relies on other companies’ in-store displays.
\n
\nThis time, the stakes are higher because the latest gadgets are vehicles for Google<\/a>’s digital assistant, a key product that is chasing Amazon.com Inc.’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri.
\n
\n\"We view go-to-market as a clear hurdle to wide acceptance, which will require investments in brand, marketing and distribution to overcome,\" UBS analyst Eric Sheridan wrote in a note to investors.
\n
Google is selling the new Pixel phones at Verizon Communications Inc.<\/a> and Best Buy Co. stores in the U.S., via its own online store, a temporary physical store in New York City and through its wireless service Project Fi. It’s working with a small number of other wireless carriers and retailers in countries including Germany and India. Google Home, the new speaker, is available at Best Buy, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp. stores, in addition to Google’s online store.
\n
\nCutting distribution deals with a handful of carriers and retailers isn’t enough, according to Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson. “Google will have to up its customer-service game and do many more distribution partnerships,\" he said.
\n
\nMany of Google’s past efforts at selling hardware have fizzled. When the company started its Nexus brand in 2010 it planned to market the phones online only, but sales never took off. About 200,000 of the first Nexus model sold, short of Google’s target of several million units, according to a person who worked on the device.
\n
\nThen there was Android Silver. Kicked off some time in 2014, the internal project was designed to sell high-end Android handsets with partners to compete with Apple. Google set up a retail lab for the effort, claiming an entire building near its Mountain View, California headquarters, according to former employees. But it never got off the ground. Nikesh Arora, Google’s sales chief at the time, drove the initiative. When he left in July 2014, Android Silver was shelved. One former Google executive called it a boondoggle.
\n
\nThe former Googlers didn’t want to be identified discussing private information. A Google spokeswoman declined to comment.
\n
\nApple Envy<\/strong>
\nSuch experiments are a contrast to Apple stores that are the envy of the retail industry. Apple considers the iPhone in terms of the product’s complete life cycle, from leaving the factory to when customers stop using the device. Apple offers a recycling program through physical and online stores.
\n
Google’s new smartphone<\/a> unit approached potential wireless carrier partners early this year, according to a person familiar with the situation. Some carriers peppered Google executives with questions about handling phone returns and technical support, the person said. At the time, Google did not appear ready to take on these aspects of the phone hardware business, according to this person.
\n
\nGoogle executives on the hardware team say the company is on a \"journey,\" gaining experience and capabilities with each smartphone generation. And Apple only began touting the iPhone’s full life cycle after a few generations.
\n
\nResponsible Returns<\/strong>
\nOn Tuesday, as a Google event began in San Francisco, new hardware chief Rick Osterloh reassured the audience that the company was serious about the move. “We’re in it for the long run,” he said.
\n
\nAbout nine months after initial talks with carriers, Google rolled out its flavor of technical support: Pixels have built-in chat support where customer-service reps can take over smartphone screens to identify problems.
\n
Google will be responsible for returns and recycling and is building a supply chain that can re-absorb faulty and rejected devices<\/a>, Osterloh said in a recent interview.
\n
\nOsterloh will be partly judged by how many devices<\/a> Google sells, a contrast to the Nexus program which showcased Android features for other handset makers to adopt. But the executive was still cagey about the company’s sales aspirations.
\n
\n\"In markets where we do business, we’re definitely going to want meaningful share,\" he said. \"But it’s highly unlikely that the primary driver will be to be in every market with as high as possible volume.\"
\n
\nGoogle still sees software as its edge, rather than retail distribution and customer service. The company spent more time on Tuesday talking about the digital assistant baked into its new gadgets, and how they work together.
\n
\nIf Google can get millions of people relying on its assistant, the company may be able to compete with Apple’s devices, according to Brian Blau, an analyst at Gartner.
\n
\n“The AI assistant will give them something that Apple has enjoyed for many years: Lock-in to the system,\" he said.\n\n<\/body>","next_sibling":[{"msid":54696888,"title":"Fossil enters wearable segment in India","entity_type":"ARTICLE","link":"\/news\/fossil-enters-wearable-segment-in-india\/54696888","category_name":null,"category_name_seo":"telecomnews"}],"related_content":[],"msid":54696847,"entity_type":"ARTICLE","title":"Google has its own phones. Now it must fix its retail strategy","synopsis":"Cutting distribution deals with a handful of carriers and retailers isn\u2019t enough, according to Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson.","titleseo":"telecomnews\/google-has-its-own-phones-now-it-must-fix-its-retail-strategy","status":"ACTIVE","authors":[],"Alttitle":{"minfo":""},"artag":"Bloomberg","artdate":"2016-10-05 16:52:06","lastupd":"2016-10-05 16:52:06","breadcrumbTags":["Google","Smartphone","Verizon Communications Inc.","Retail strategy","Devices","Alphabet Inc."],"secinfo":{"seolocation":"telecomnews\/google-has-its-own-phones-now-it-must-fix-its-retail-strategy"}}" data-authors="[" "]" data-category-name="" data-category_id="" data-date="2016-10-05" data-index="article_1">
由马克卑尔根和马克Gurman
谷歌公布了新的硬件从智能手机和智能发言人于周二无线路由器。长达一年的奥德赛,涉及设计、供应链谈判和寻找制造合作伙伴。
现在,字母(aapl . o:行情)。单位必须应对同样严峻挑战的产品给消费者。它有一个历史的零售策略,努力或者没有成功,据知情人士透露,公司的零售工作。更重要的是,它没有经验处理返回和回收。与竞争对手苹果(aapl . o:行情),该公司没有自己的商店,它可以随心所欲地展示硬件,而是依赖于其他公司的店内显示。
这次的风险更高,因为最新的小玩意的车辆谷歌数字助理,主要产品是追逐Amazon.com Inc .的Alexa和苹果的Siri。
“我们认为营销是一个明显的障碍广泛接受,这就需要投资品牌,营销和分销来克服,”瑞银(UBS)分析师埃里克·谢里丹在给投资者的报告中写道。
谷歌销售的新像素的手机Verizon Communications Inc .)和百思买(Best Buy co .)商店在美国通过自己的在线商店,一个临时的物理存储在纽约和Fi通过其无线服务项目。使用少量的其他无线运营商和零售商的国家包括德国和印度。谷歌,新的扬声器,可在百思买、沃尔玛和目标公司商店,除了谷歌的在线商店。
与少数运营商和零售商削减分销协议还不够,根据Forrester Research分析师Thomas Husson。“谷歌将其客服游戏和做更多的分销伙伴关系,”他说。
谷歌的许多过去卖硬件的努力失败了。公司于2010年开始其连结品牌计划市场手机在线,但销售从未起飞。大约200000销售的第一个关系模型,短的数百万谷歌的目标单位,据一位在设备上工作。
然后是Android银。开始在2014年的某个时候,内部项目旨在与合作伙伴销售高端安卓手机与苹果竞争。谷歌建立了一个零售的实验室工作,声称整个大厦附近的山景城,加州总部,根据前雇员。但它从来没有离开地面。Nikesh Arora,谷歌的销售主管,把主动权。当他离开2014年7月,Android银被搁置。一位谷歌前高管称之为水漂。
前谷歌员工不想透露姓名的讨论私人信息。谷歌一位发言人拒绝置评。
苹果嫉妒
这样的实验是一个与苹果商店零售行业的嫉妒。苹果认为iPhone的产品的完整的生命周期,从出厂到当客户停止使用该设备。苹果提供了一种通过实体店和网店回收计划。
谷歌的新智能手机单位接洽潜在的无线运营商合作伙伴今年早些时候,据一位知情人士透露。一些运营商的谷歌高管质疑处理电话返回和技术支持,这位人士说。当时,谷歌并没有准备好承担的这些方面手机硬件业务,根据这个人。
硬件团队谷歌高管表示,该公司正在“旅程”,与每个智能手机一代积累经验和能力。和苹果才开始兜售历经几代iPhone的完整生命周期。
负责任的回报
周二,谷歌事件开始于旧金山,新的硬件首席里克Osterloh向观众保证,该公司认真对待。“我们长远的,”他说。
约九个月后首次与航空公司谈判,谷歌推出了其风味的技术支持:像素具有内置的聊天的支持,客户服务代表可以接管智能手机屏幕识别问题。
谷歌将负责退货和回收,并建立一个供应链能够re-absorb错误和拒绝设备,Osterloh在最近的一次采访中说。
Osterloh将部分取决于有多少设备谷歌销售Nexus程序相比,展示了其他手机制造商采用Android的特性。但行政还是小心谨慎的对公司销售的愿望。
“在市场,我们做生意,我们肯定要有意义的,”他说。“但这是极不可能的,主司机将在每一个市场,尽可能高的体积。”
谷歌仍然将软件作为它的边缘,而不是零售分销和客户服务。周二该公司花费更多的时间谈论数字助理烤到它的新产品,以及它们如何一起工作。
如果谷歌可以得到数以百万计的人依靠它的助理,公司可以与苹果的设备,根据布莱恩·布劳Gartner分析师。
“人工智能助理将会给他们一些苹果多年享受:锁定系统,”他说。
谷歌公布了新的硬件从智能手机和智能发言人于周二无线路由器。长达一年的奥德赛,涉及设计、供应链谈判和寻找制造合作伙伴。
现在,字母(aapl . o:行情)。单位必须应对同样严峻挑战的产品给消费者。它有一个历史的零售策略,努力或者没有成功,据知情人士透露,公司的零售工作。更重要的是,它没有经验处理返回和回收。与竞争对手苹果(aapl . o:行情),该公司没有自己的商店,它可以随心所欲地展示硬件,而是依赖于其他公司的店内显示。
这次的风险更高,因为最新的小玩意的车辆谷歌数字助理,主要产品是追逐Amazon.com Inc .的Alexa和苹果的Siri。
“我们认为营销是一个明显的障碍广泛接受,这就需要投资品牌,营销和分销来克服,”瑞银(UBS)分析师埃里克·谢里丹在给投资者的报告中写道。
谷歌销售的新像素的手机Verizon Communications Inc .)和百思买(Best Buy co .)商店在美国通过自己的在线商店,一个临时的物理存储在纽约和Fi通过其无线服务项目。使用少量的其他无线运营商和零售商的国家包括德国和印度。谷歌,新的扬声器,可在百思买、沃尔玛和目标公司商店,除了谷歌的在线商店。
与少数运营商和零售商削减分销协议还不够,根据Forrester Research分析师Thomas Husson。“谷歌将其客服游戏和做更多的分销伙伴关系,”他说。
谷歌的许多过去卖硬件的努力失败了。公司于2010年开始其连结品牌计划市场手机在线,但销售从未起飞。大约200000销售的第一个关系模型,短的数百万谷歌的目标单位,据一位在设备上工作。
然后是Android银。开始在2014年的某个时候,内部项目旨在与合作伙伴销售高端安卓手机与苹果竞争。谷歌建立了一个零售的实验室工作,声称整个大厦附近的山景城,加州总部,根据前雇员。但它从来没有离开地面。Nikesh Arora,谷歌的销售主管,把主动权。当他离开2014年7月,Android银被搁置。一位谷歌前高管称之为水漂。
前谷歌员工不想透露姓名的讨论私人信息。谷歌一位发言人拒绝置评。
苹果嫉妒
这样的实验是一个与苹果商店零售行业的嫉妒。苹果认为iPhone的产品的完整的生命周期,从出厂到当客户停止使用该设备。苹果提供了一种通过实体店和网店回收计划。
谷歌的新智能手机单位接洽潜在的无线运营商合作伙伴今年早些时候,据一位知情人士透露。一些运营商的谷歌高管质疑处理电话返回和技术支持,这位人士说。当时,谷歌并没有准备好承担的这些方面手机硬件业务,根据这个人。
硬件团队谷歌高管表示,该公司正在“旅程”,与每个智能手机一代积累经验和能力。和苹果才开始兜售历经几代iPhone的完整生命周期。
负责任的回报
周二,谷歌事件开始于旧金山,新的硬件首席里克Osterloh向观众保证,该公司认真对待。“我们长远的,”他说。
约九个月后首次与航空公司谈判,谷歌推出了其风味的技术支持:像素具有内置的聊天的支持,客户服务代表可以接管智能手机屏幕识别问题。
谷歌将负责退货和回收,并建立一个供应链能够re-absorb错误和拒绝设备,Osterloh在最近的一次采访中说。
Osterloh将部分取决于有多少设备谷歌销售Nexus程序相比,展示了其他手机制造商采用Android的特性。但行政还是小心谨慎的对公司销售的愿望。
“在市场,我们做生意,我们肯定要有意义的,”他说。“但这是极不可能的,主司机将在每一个市场,尽可能高的体积。”
谷歌仍然将软件作为它的边缘,而不是零售分销和客户服务。周二该公司花费更多的时间谈论数字助理烤到它的新产品,以及它们如何一起工作。
如果谷歌可以得到数以百万计的人依靠它的助理,公司可以与苹果的设备,根据布莱恩·布劳Gartner分析师。
“人工智能助理将会给他们一些苹果多年享受:锁定系统,”他说。
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