Google spares three Area 120 R&D projects, including team working on a ‘Gen Z consumer product’

By Bradly Shankar

Earlier this year, it was reported that Google’s in-house incubator, Area 120, was working on three separate projects that were in danger of being shut down. Now, 9to5Google has heard from sources that the company has decided to keep all three projects alive.

The first project is called ‘Thankful’, and it’s a consumer product targeted at Gen Z users. Not much is known about the product, but the team is apparently exploring ways to incorporate AI into the experience.

The second project is called ‘Trolley’, and it’s a commerce platform that’s designed to make it easy for users to buy products from multiple retailers in a single transaction. Area 120 has been working on this project for over a year, and it’s unclear how far along it is.

The third and final project is called ‘Supersonic’, and it’s a social video app that allows users to create and share short video clips. The app is currently in a closed beta, but it’s expected to launch publicly later this year.

It’s good to see that Google is committed to giving these projects a chance to succeed. All three have the potential to be valuable additions to the company’s portfolio, and it’s clear that the team behind them is passionate about their work.

Google spares three Area 120 R&D projects, including team working on a ‘Gen Z consumer product’

Highlights

• Google’s experimental “Area 120” group has shuttered three of its projects
• The move is a shift in strategy for Alphabet’s “moonshots” factory

Google’s experimental “Area 120” group has shuttered three of its projects, according to people familiar with the matter.

The move is a shift in strategy for Alphabet’s “moonshots” factory, which has been under scrutiny from investors for its spending and lack of profitability.

Area 120 was created in 2015 as an incubator for Google employees with entrepreneurial ambitions. Over the years, it has spawned a number of products, including the smartphone case company incubated by Google’s “Pixel” team.

But in recent months, Alphabet’s leadership has pressures Area 120 to be more disciplined in its spending and to focus on projects with more commercial potential, according to people familiar with the matter.

As a result, the group has been winding down some of its non-core projects, including those that were in early stages of development or had not yet launched.

The three projects that have been shuttered are “Tabletop”, an augmented reality product; “Upswing”, a consumer product; and “Supersonic Funnel”, a marketing tool.

It’s not clear how many people were working on the projects, but they were all small teams within Area 120.

The group is still working on a number of other projects, including an upcoming “Gen Z consumer product”, according to one of the people familiar with the matter.

Area 120 has also been working on a new version of its “TalentGraph” tool, which helps companies find job candidates, and is preparing to launch a new product in the “wellness” space, according to people familiar with the matter.

The group is also said to be working on a “smart clock”, which was first reported by 9to5Google.