Google stunned the tech world earlier this week when it announced the launch of Alphabet, a parent corporation designed to allow the continuation of what CEO Larry Page calls "smaller bets" for better innovation.
In the process, many speculative ventures were spun off into satellite companies, leaving a slimmer, more focused original Google.
In the process, many speculative ventures were spun off into satellite companies, leaving a slimmer, more focused original Google.
One company that didn't go with the Alphabet crowd: YouTube.
With more than 1 billion users and a reported value of $70 billion, YouTube, which will remain part of Google, has evolved into a major asset for Sergey Brin and Page's empire, a seemingly farfetched notion when the tech giant first acquired the once-small company in 2006.
But even as the video platform is at a point in its history where it can cement its dominance and become ever more lucrative, some are asking: Is YouTube too big to innovate?
The company faces a fierce race by competitors - Facebook, Vine, Vessel and others - to unseat it as the premiere platform in the marketplace.
"YouTube has plenty of room to grow but competition is its biggest challenge," said Paul Verna, a senior analyst at research firm EMarketer. "Also, when you have (a company) that big ... growth is going to come in smaller increments. I think they are a very smart company that's done a lot of things right. They are still well positioned to stay ahead."
YouTube, which began operating under the motto "broadcast yourself," came into prominence as a democratic space where anyone with a camera could post a video. Its amateur style and lack of curation was part of the appeal.
The video platform has since evolved into a hub of programming from all parts of the entertainment industry. But it is best known for its amateur video creators, many of whom have become professional digital stars more popular than traditional celebrities - at least in sought-after younger demographic groups.
Most YouTube creators, who regularly post content to their channels, generally stay on the platform to cultivate their fan base. Some, however, complain about the lack of revenue generated from their videos.
With any YouTube ad, the largest share of the money (55 percent) goes to the creator, according to an analyst familiar with YouTube's business practices. Those who don't think that's enough sometimes branch out beyond YouTube to new platforms in order to make more money and expand their digital footprints.
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