Google for rural internet connectivity, and getting women online
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that Google's rural internet program will move from pilot, to full scale program implementation in 2016. Under the scheme over 3 lakh villages in India will be covered. As part of Google's efforts to help women get online, the company is expanding its bicycle for women program nationally. Google's project Loon would play an important role in achieving this.
Google for India is the pseudonym given to a series of new India specific projects launched by Google, attempting to improve internet access and capitalize on India's 350 million+ internet user base.
Sunder Pichai is on his first visit to India after taking over as CEO of Google in August 2014. Google is set for a massive expansion in India that will involve upgrading Google R&D offices in Bangalore and establishing a new office in Hyderabad. India is a key driver for Google's growth and Google Capital will invest $20 million in Indian start-ups in 2016.
Sundar Pichai announced that Android will unveil its new Tap to Translate feature in 2016. The new feature will allow users to translate text across all apps running on android in all supported languages. Caesar Sengupta, VP for Google's product management said users will also be able to create messages in their native languages to make it easier to carry on with a conversation.
Sundar Pichai pitched for better internet adoption in India, speaking at an event hosted in New Delhi. Under a slew of new projects announced by Google, free wifi will be provided at 100 railway stations across India. Pichai also announced that the Asus Chromebit will be made available in India from 2016. The device can connect to any display monitor and access the Internet.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. This is their second meeting after Modi met Pichai while visiting Silicon Valley last year. Google announced that Android now features keyboards in 9 Indian languages Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu. It will also feature two other languages from the sub-continent - Nepali and Sinhala.
Ahead of Android Marshmallow launch, there was a wide speculation that Google could name it after an Indian dessert. CEO Sundar Pichai, speaking at a school in New Delhi, said Google could conduct an online poll and based on the results, Android N or Android P could get an Indian name. Android Peda and Android Payasam were among the many names suggested by students.
Project Loon is being developed by Google with the mission of providing Internet access to remote areas by beaming internet via balloons placed in the stratosphere to create an aerial wireless network.
