Google for India 2018
Google has released a host of upgrades in its Google for India 2018 event. India is an important market for Google as it the second largest population of internet users in the world. Here are the list of upgrades that intenet giant has announced:
From Tez to Google Pay
The tech giant has also rebranded its ‘Tez’ as ‘Google Pay’ as part of its efforts to take the digital payments app to more online and retail merchants across the country.
Tez – which was built for the Indian market – has seen strong traction with 22 million people using the platform every month.
Already, 750 million transactions have been made with USD 30 billion in annual run rate of transaction value.
Google’s gift to rail passengers
Google today said it has partnered Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Ltd (APSFNL) to bring Google Station to over 12,000 villages, a move that will provide Internet access to about 10 million people.
Previously, Google had partnered RailTel to offer Wi-Fi access across 400 railway stations in the country.
Adding more merchants: Online and offline
The company is also adding more merchants — online and offline — onto its platform.
Google is working with big retailers and payments technology companies like Pine Labs to help merchants accept digital payments.
The tech giant is also collaborating with lenders like Federal Bank, HDFC Bank and others to offer pre-approved loans on the Google Pay platform, a move it believes will accelerate efforts of financial inclusion.
Upgraded Google Maps
Google Maps Go now brings turn-by-turn navigation functionality, while featuring a new home screen with convenient shortcuts. Google Maps is also adding better public transport guidance, which will inform riders of upcoming stops and alerts on when to get off.
Google partnered with RedBus — India’s largest inter-city bus ticketing service — more than 20,000 routes and 1,500 cities will also be added for intercity bus journey routes.
Project Navlekha: Promoting Indian languages
Google is working with Indian language publishers to bring more relevant content online. Currently, the amount of online content in Indian languages is only 1 percent of what’s available in English.
Google is starting a project called Navlekha which means ‘a new way to write’ in Sanskrit
