Can you provide real-world examples of companies that have effectively used a "free" product strategy to generate revenue?

Some alternative monetization strategies that have proven successful in the tech industry include freemium models, subscription models, advertising models, and transaction fee models. The freemium model offers basic services for free while charging for premium features. The subscription model charges users a recurring fee for access to a product or service. The advertising model generates revenue by displaying ads to users. The transaction fee model charges a fee for facilitating a transaction between two parties.

Apple and Google have adapted their revenue models over time by diversifying their product and service offerings. Apple, initially known for its Mac computers, has expanded into various sectors including mobile devices (iPhone), digital music (iTunes), and services (Apple Music, iCloud). This diversification has allowed Apple to generate revenue from multiple streams. Google, on the other hand, started as a search engine but now has a wide range of products and services including advertising (Google Ads), cloud computing (Google Cloud), and hardware (Google Pixel, Google Home). Google's primary revenue source remains advertising, but it has successfully introduced new revenue streams over time.