Looker Launches First Major Update Post Google Cloud Acquisition
Looker has announced the release of its first round of BI and analytics platform updates since being acquired by Google Cloud last June. Thew new version includes updated data and development tools, enhanced modern BI features, and foundational optimization and performance upgrades as well. Looker also now touts support for the complete Google Marketing Platform. Other additions are headlined by upgrades for application builders and an update to Looker’s Application Marketplace where customers can access and share data experiences.
The new version includes Looker Blocks for Google Marketing Platform. These customizable experiences provide interactive data exploration, new slices of data with light machine learning predictions, direct links back to Google Marketing Platform to adjust campaigns, and paths for pushing insights back into Google Marketing Platform. The new Looker Blocks available with this release are Google Analytics 360, Campaign Manager + Display & Video 360, Search Ads 360, plus a refreshed version of the Google Ads Block. New cross-filtering features enable users to uncover customer insights and patterns not evident in the dashboard as well.
New aggregate awareness functionality makes queries faster and less expensive while also offering faster downloads when streaming query results. There’s pooled database connections to reduce query latency as well. The model development experience has been improved via a redesigned Integrated Development Environment that makes workflows intuitive with the addition of more advanced controls. Other notable additions include an object browser that simplifies product navigation, a single repository that can be shared across instances, and folders that improve project organization and collaboration.
Looker Marketplace is now generally available. Available in the Looker Marketplace is the new Data Dictionary that allows developers to build an application using Looker’s extension framework. The developer framework was announced in November as part of the Looker 7 release.
In a media statement about the news, Google Cloud’s Head of Looker Analytics and Strategy Colin Zima said: “Whether we’re providing multiple choices of cloud providers, the ability to customize data experiences, or the unique solutions coming from our deeper integration with Google Cloud, Looker continues to focus on delivering solutions that have maximum impact on the day-to-day business outcomes of our customers.”