Alphabet became the corporate name above Google in October 2015 while Google retained its search business.
Google announced the Alphabet restructuring in August 2015, and the new parent-company structure took effect in October of that year. Alphabet became the publicly traded parent, while Google remained its largest subsidiary and continued operating products such as Search, YouTube, and Android.
The change separated Google’s core internet businesses from other ventures, including life sciences, self-driving technology, and investment activities. It also gave each business greater managerial independence and made financial reporting more transparent.
Alphabet is frequently confused with Google because Google remained the best-known brand and the principal operating business. The company’s stock-market value, however, is attributed to Alphabet Inc., whose Class A and Class C shares trade publicly. The restructuring did not create a new search engine or replace the Google brand.