That really depends - as you know Google's motto is "don't be evil". And it is apparent that the other american telcos don't share this motto.
If Google manages to stay not evil it is the only way they will be relevant in the future. I think it is possible, and it's the only way to survive competition.
They seemingly can't make any pro-company decision without being accused of consorting with the Devil.
In contrast everyone knows Apple just cares about Apple. Whenever they do something evil, it just gets labelled as "Oh, that's just Apple being Apple".
It's an awesome motto that's served them extremely well. Google's ability to frame themselves as the "good guys" is the only real marketing advantage they have.
So it's their "motto advantage" that attracts everyone in using their services? I guess giving their services away for free doesn't count for anything?
I wouldn't include their pricing structure as part of their marketing, though it doubtless attracts many users. (So do their algorithms, but those aren't included in their marketing, either.) And insofar as they have a reputation for giving away their services for free, that's a part of their heroic image.
If Google manages to stay not evil it is the only way they will be relevant in the future. I think it is possible, and it's the only way to survive competition.