His response about the leveling off of Google+ users after the initial hype seems a bit like a dodge. I suspect there has been quite a decline in new users, although I also imagine this doesn't bother the Google+ team as much as you'd think.
20 million users is a large enough test base to start rolling out and field testing new features. Not just new to Google+, but new feature concepts. It gives you an accurate real world response, while remaining small enough that a misstep won't make front page headlines like when Facebook changes their privacy rules. And we know Google doesn't want the FTC in their business again.
They have enough data on you to do social networking better than Facebook, but there's risk in doing it TOO well TOO soon. One day though, you won't add friends or make circles. Google will infer your entire social and activity sphere from who you call and email, what you say, what you search, where you go, and how you shop. The data is getting denser, and Google is tapped into every stream.
Has Google released any numbers regarding how many active users they have now that Google+ is open to the public? I now that pretty early in the beta they were saying something like 20 million.
20 million users is a large enough test base to start rolling out and field testing new features. Not just new to Google+, but new feature concepts. It gives you an accurate real world response, while remaining small enough that a misstep won't make front page headlines like when Facebook changes their privacy rules. And we know Google doesn't want the FTC in their business again.
They have enough data on you to do social networking better than Facebook, but there's risk in doing it TOO well TOO soon. One day though, you won't add friends or make circles. Google will infer your entire social and activity sphere from who you call and email, what you say, what you search, where you go, and how you shop. The data is getting denser, and Google is tapped into every stream.