Google's Larry Page gives Sundar Pichai more power

SAN FRANCISCO —Google CEO is handing off some key day-to-day leadership responsibilities to Sundar Pichai, a rising executive at the Internet giant, so Page can focus on the big picture.

Pichai will oversee executives in charge of search, maps, ads and commerce, Google+ and other areas. He's already in charge of the Android mobile software division, Chrome operating system and browser and Apps such as Gmail.

The news was first reported by technology blog Re/code. Google spokesman Aaron Stein confirmed the report.

The shift comes as Google looks to keep up innovation as it grows larger and longer in the tooth.

Page will maintain his role as visionary for Google, and he's not giving up his oversight of Google's business including advertising sales, YouTube, the experimental arm Google X and the Google division that oversees its high-speed Internet service Google Fiber.

Google sent out a memo on Friday to inform employees of the changes.