Google changes logo to better suit mobile devices

Google on Tuesday refreshed its logo to better suit mobile devices that are supplanting desktop computers when it comes to modern Internet lifestyles.

Google's logo keeps its four-color scheme but shifts to a soft sans-serif font. The company is also replacing the well-known blue lower case "g" icon with an upper-case "G" combining blue, green, red and yellow.

The 17-year-old Internet company is keen to follow users of its online products onto new generations of Internet-linked devices such as smartphones, tablets and watches.

"We're introducing a new logo and identity family that reflects this reality and shows you when the Google magic is working for you, even on the tiniest screens," the California-based Internet firm said in a blog post.

"We've taken the Google logo and branding, which were originally built for a single desktop browser page, and updated them for a world of seamless computing across an endless number of devices and different kinds of inputs - such as tap, type and talk."

The unveiling of the new logo came just weeks after a surprise reorganization of Google under a newly formed parent company called Alphabet.

The plan calls for Alphabet to be the corporate parent, with an operating unit for Google and its related search operations, and a handful of other operating firms created for projects in health, Internet delivery, investment and research.

While Google is known as the dominant player in Internet search, it has launched a variety of projects in recent years that are marginally related at best to its core operation.

The projects include self-driving cars, Google Glass, Internet balloons, drones, health care, Google TV, mobile payments, home automation and its Google+ social network, among others.

The Google unit, to be headed by current company vice president Sundar Pichai, will include search, ads, maps, YouTube, Android and related technology infrastructure.