> all we ever do is steal features from other apps.

Strategically, this is called being a Fast Follower. One of GOOG's problems is that it acts in the market as a fast follower, but tells itself internally that its an groundbreaking innovator. Your reaction (which was also my reaction),

> Nothing I ever do here is exciting. Thought maybe working on app with over a billion users would be exciting...

is a form of corporate-wide cognitive dissonance between GOOG's propaganda and reality.