We previously reported that Google may be planning to open its own retail stores, but just as we were starting to get excited about testing out Chromebooks and Project Glass in the flesh, Andy Rubin (Senior VP of mobile and digital content at Google) effectively put those rumours to bed during a roundtable with journalists at the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
When asked about the possibility of opening retail stores, Rubin said “Google has no plans and we have nothing to announce”, going on to say “For Nexus, I don’t think the program is far enough along to think about the necessity of having these things in a retail store”. The Android chief is of the opinion that Google’s online advertising, the Play store and internet buzz will be sufficient to push the company’s products and convince people to make purchases. “They don’t have to go in the store and feel it anymore”, he said.
None of this is to say that we’ll never see Google retail stores in the future, as it seems almost inevitable once the Chromebook, Nexus and Glass offerings become substantial enough to justify the cost of running a store, as well as taking the plunge into the scary world of face to face customer service.
Do you think we’ll see Google retail stores in the future? Do you think it would help Google’s push towards world domination? Let us know in the comments below!
I don’t see why they won’t….Google stores would be money making machines….
I think there’s a big “YET” written all over this.