Alphabet operates Google and YouTube through its Google subsidiary.
Alphabet became Google’s parent company in 2015, when the business reorganized its structure. Google remained the central operating company, while Alphabet provided a holding-company framework for Google and other ventures.
Google’s major businesses include internet search, online advertising, Android, Chrome, cloud computing, and hardware. YouTube, acquired by Google in 2006, is one of the world’s largest video platforms.
Alphabet is often discussed among the world’s richest companies by market capitalization because advertising and cloud revenue provide large recurring businesses. A common mix-up is calling Alphabet itself “Google”; Google is the principal subsidiary, while Alphabet is the corporate parent.