While we have already given our own thoughts on just what Google+ may have in-store for users.
We have recently learned that deep within the source code are references to two areas that we believe could have some serious influence in making people decide to give the new social network a try.
Namely:
Google Games – Social Gaming
Social gaming is huge, with Zynga taking stakes on a large percentage of downloads in all app markets on every platform.
The key thing Zynga games offer is a social function to most games (rate, score, collaborate) and therefore these games are both played longer and adopted by more people sooner.
Google seem to be taking a step in the right direction if they seek to monetize the gaming experience and allow people to play together within a closed system, which seems to be the holy grail right now.
Questions – Social Wikipedia?
We are also aware that there is an aspect of the code that offers clues such as “you might try rephrasing or tagging your question to make it easier for someone to answer”.
This alludes to a social question and answer forum area which does have potential and could potentially allow “experts” to offer help and advice in exchange for status and we assume work, credibility within a social network.
Google to offer greater privacy control to users?
As a differentiation to Facebook’s more “complicated” privacy policies that seem to change all the time. Google are noted as stating that testers who are invited to trial Google+ can leave at any time and take their data with them via what they codename a “takeout’ function.
This is also perhaps an initial means of making sure users are not expecting a Google buzz scenario when Google was slapped for imposing and going against its own privacy policy by signing all Gmail users up to the botched attempt at a Facebook type rival that has since died a death.
Do you think Google+ is starting to sound intriguing? Reports are that the demand has been enormous and the invite option has been temporarily suspended due to the volume of interest.
A serious Facebook rival perhaps?
Anthony Munns