Integration of Google+ with other Google Products

Initially Google+ was launched (or at least perceived) as a Social networking site directly competing against Facebook. Tech gurus instantaneously started comparing the two sites based on features, user base, etc. However, Google has been saying for a while that Google+ isn't just as a social networking site, but a well integrated Google product. Little was known what they meant few months back. Here is the breakdown of what they meant by a well integrated product.

• Any and all pictures uploaded on Picasa are now available in Google+ for you to share with your circles in one click.
• Pictures taken from you smart phone are automatically uploaded to your Google+ as a private picture which can be shared at your discretion.
• You can now view contacts/emails in your Gmail based on your Google+ Circles. You can also add any contact directly from your Gmail to your Google+ Circle
• You can customize call screening and greetings in your Google Voice account based on your Google+ circles.
• Ability to chat (gtalk) via Google+, and also specify which Circles can chat with you.
• You can now sort Google search results based on personal connections (from Google+) or from the entire web.
• +1's received by the websites are shown on search results.
• And the list keeps growing

One of the questions which was being constantly raised was, will Google+ be able to compete with Facebook or will it eventually have a slow death just like Orkut. I don't think that question is valid any longer. Google+ is no longer directly competing with Facebook, but at the same time it is growing its user base 10 fold by integrating Google+ with other popular Google services.