> They subtly update it every couple years to keep the shading and the bevel in line with current trends.
Apparently not. They changed it once in 1999 (after its original in 1998) and again in 2010.[1]
"The logo was the foundation for new icons and hundreds of tiny alterations designed to accommodate and seamlessly integrate the expanded functionality of the left-hand panel."[2]
So they had a legitimate design reason for changing the logo, not based solely on the brand...
Apparently not. They changed it once in 1999 (after its original in 1998) and again in 2010.[1]
"The logo was the foundation for new icons and hundreds of tiny alterations designed to accommodate and seamlessly integrate the expanded functionality of the left-hand panel."[2]
So they had a legitimate design reason for changing the logo, not based solely on the brand...
[1] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_logo
[2] - http://googleblog.blogspot.ro/2010/05/google-design-turned-u...