Cost-Cutting Mode

Cost-Cutting Mode

Share this article


  • Google said on Thursday it will merge teams working on the mapping service Waze and products like Google Maps, effective Dec. 9, in a bid to consolidate processes. The company will integrate Waze, which it acquired in 2013 for $1 billion, into Google Geo, its portfolio of real-world mapping products that include Google Maps, Google Earth, and Street View, a Google spokesperson said.

  • The Geo division will absorb over 500 Waze employees, which has otherwise been independent of Google since its acquisition in 2013 and maintained a separate culture. 

  • Waze is much more focused on crowdsourced mapping conditions and less of a directory compared to Google Maps. Drivers – 151 million monthly active users – find value in the separation and it makes using Waze much simpler and faster. 

Why it matters

Although no layoffs are planned, Waze will no longer have its own CEO. This is happening in the context of tech companies looking for efficiencies in the current economic environment. Most notably, Google has been streamlining Assistant experiences to focus on voice advancements.

akbaraka

Get Smarter
About Investing

Join 35,000+ subscribers and get our 5 min daily newsletter on daily local and international financial news.
akhbaraka
Get Smarter<br/> About Investing

Similar News