I agree. When I think of "Stealth Mode," I think of people who won't tell anyone what they are doing or what their startup is about, and you actively discourage people who know from talking about what you do.
I think that the Google behavior described doesn't fall under "stealth mode" for me. People knew what they were doing, they just didn't know how lucrative it was.
Might be a small distinction, but I think it's a meaningful one if you're trying to have a discourse about strategy.
Rather than "stealth mode", "low profile mode" is best for companies in a market that might attract a lot of attention. The most important thing is to balance the need for attention to fuel growth against the risk of inspiring competitors.
In other words, don't hype your startup if it will do more harm than good. Patience is a virtue for a reason.
I think that the Google behavior described doesn't fall under "stealth mode" for me. People knew what they were doing, they just didn't know how lucrative it was.
Might be a small distinction, but I think it's a meaningful one if you're trying to have a discourse about strategy.