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Google has, very successfully I would argue, expanded into mobile. They bought a mobile OS and turned it into the global market leader. This is the biggest change in consumer technology since the web and they did not miss it.

There is a very serious benefit to recognizing a losing hand and folding before you're in too deep. You see a weakness in Google's execution, and I'd agree in some places, but there is some wisdom in closing up failed experiments rather than doubling down as Microsoft has done with several of their investments in the past.

I have zero problem with the fail-fast, fail-earlier strategy and attitude. ultimately it's business. there is no point to continue if it's obviously not going to work. there is a catch though: do fail because of innovation (crazy, big ideas). I'd argue all these experiments, except gmail/map/wave, have 0 substance. most of them are crappy implemented, poor planed cat projects.

"had the will and executive ability to expand to new territories and destroy competitors"

That didn't happen in mobile. In fact iOS and Android made Microsoft's mobile efforts look silly.