Google YouTube Acquisition

Discussions center on Google's purchase of YouTube after failing with their own Google Video service, emphasizing that YouTube was a popular external platform acquired rather than an in-house innovation, with reflections on its success and value.

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Keywords

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Sample Comments

Harj Apr 18, 2007 View on HN

YouTube beat Google video by a mile. Not everything Google does turns to gold.

kasbah Aug 7, 2015 View on HN

Why did Google buy YouTube when they have Google Video?

NOSHSHNACKERS Apr 13, 2016 View on HN

This sounds like what Google went through with Youtube. I like Youtube.

wbkang Oct 26, 2022 View on HN

YouTube is an acquisition and they killed Google videos.

runevault Jul 27, 2022 View on HN

Youtube was purchased, so that one isn't anything innovated in house.

ocdtrekkie May 1, 2017 View on HN

Bear in mind, Google did not develop YouTube, and YouTube was incredibly popular long before Google got involved. Google purchased YouTube. Their own video posting service, Google Video, is barely remembered today.

BlueTemplar Nov 4, 2023 View on HN

Not exactly first mover : they bought YouTube (and let Google Video to die).

YouTube wasn't a Google innovation. Buying them was their fallback after they gave up on their mediocre Google Videos site.

bugBunny Sep 19, 2021 View on HN

They did not build YouTube by their knowledge, they acquired competition company. They had Google videos back at that time.

scarface74 May 9, 2022 View on HN

What value does Google get out of YouTube besides the minuscule profit?