With Christmas and many other holidays over and the new year right around the corner, Google has decided to take advantage of this opportunity to pull new users into its vast ecosystem. No matter what holidays you and your loved ones may celebrate, chances are fairly high that you or somebody you know unwrapped a fancy new device of some sort running Android or iOS. If that’s the case, Google’s home page, where searching and other magic happens, is likely to be one of your first stops when firing up the new toy. Google has thus decided to place a link to check out its apps for both platforms on the page in the hopes that new users will decide to give them a try. Just above an eagerly quivering wrapped box, you’ll find text saying “Unwrap the best of Google for Android and iOS”, with the OS names bearing links.
These separate links for each platform lead to a fairly universal Google starter pack to indoctrinate new users into Google’s ecosystem. On the Android side, clicking the link takes you to a Play Store collection titled “Unwrap the best of Google”. This collection sports the ubiquitous Google app, the well-rounded and convenient Chrome browser, Google’s Maps app for getting around town, the Google Photos app to keep your memories safe and organized in the cloud, and Google Translate to check out foreign web pages on your new device. YouTube is also on board for users to get their fix of cat videos and Christmas dubstep, along with Hangouts and Gmail to keep up with those who aren’t still in your house helping to clean up wrapping paper or eating leftovers. Google Drive is there to help keep your notes and files organized and the package is rounded out by Snapseed, allowing new device owners to customize and spruce up those camera test photos of snowy landscapes, holiday lights and the bright smiles of loved ones.
Rather than a small curation, iOS users are treated to an App Store link containing all of Google’s work for the platform. Popular apps such as the Google App, YouTube and Chrome are all here, as well as Gmail, Drive, Maps, Google Earth and many others. A grand total of 62 apps are available for the iPhone platform, ranging from staples like Google Play Music and Google Photos to outliers like the Google Life Sciences app and Creative Preview, an app for ad developers to preview their ads before mobile users lay eyes on them. Of this wide bounty, 47 apps are available for iPad as well. Google’s own Android may be the fireside favorite, but Google makes sure not to leave iOS users out in the cold.