Google corporation has either changed or has not yet developed its strategy in relation to the new gTLDs. The thoughts of well-known domain analyst and the chief editor of TheDomains.com Michael Berkens make you conclude this. He draws attention to the fact that Google was one of the most active players on the stage of applying for the new domains: the corporation has filed 101 applications altogether, spending $18.6 million only on this.
However, when the ideas were to be translated into reality, the situation changed. Obviously Google already has quite an extensive domain portfolio. But it should be noted that 39 domains that the corporation now runs were uncontested. Even more interesting is that among this 39 domains only 3 have been launched.
Talking about the competition for the new domains, that are viewed as promising and are demanded, Google very frequently looses. The corporation has participated in auctions for 34 new gTLDs (ICANN auctions or private auctions of the contenders) and won only 5 of them. Among those that Google didn’t get were for example gTLDs .BLOG or .EARTH. Considering financial capabilities of the corporation and that it has products called Blogger and Google Earth, such passivity really does look quite strange.
