Is Google Stuck in 'Perpetual Beta'?

Is Google Stuck in ‘Perpetual Beta’?

Last month, Motorola’s Xoom tablet launched on the Verizon Wireless network. Soon after, complaints began to surface that the tablet’s operating system — designed by Google — was prone to crashes when running third party applications. Experts say that while Google’s typical strategy of launching new products and then perfecting them according to user feedback might work for Gmail and other online tools, it doesn’t translate well to hardware-based devices like smartphones. In fact, they say, Google’s penchant for experimentation by introducing so-called “beta” products with frequent updates may become a handicap as the search giant expands into new markets, such as software and set-top boxes for televisions, and tablets like Xoom.

Source: Knowledge@Wharton

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