this seems to me as the most plausible explanation. I reckon the average user might use one or two more google products: maps and gmail. he probably accesses gmail via gmail.com and maps via maps.google.com and never even cared about the black top bar.
EDIT: interesting change: on my local google.ch, the top left google icon is clickable but no hover (hand) icon appears.
I reckon the average user might use one or two more google products: maps and gmail. he probably accesses gmail via gmail.com and maps via maps.google.com
One has a very... unique experience as to who an average user is if one believes the average user understands subdomains. (Or, increasingly, anything that goes into a URL box other than a search term which may occasionally have a .com in it due to legacy branding.)
EDIT: interesting change: on my local google.ch, the top left google icon is clickable but no hover (hand) icon appears.