This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Google Does a 'Spring Cleaning' in Summer

Its official blog lists services and products that are being closed or phased out.

Claiming technological changes creating “tremendous opportunities,” Google’s official blog names several products which will be discontinued to better “focus” on those that are impactful for Google users. In the fall, Google began a “spring clean” that has led to closing or combining more than 30 products in an effort to streamline offerings.

The fall round of cleaning included shutting down Desktop, Fast Flip, Google Notebook and Google Subscribed Links.

The summer clean includes:

Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Google Mini will be discontinued beginning July 31 due to better products like Google Site Search and Google Commerce Search.
  • Google Talk Chatback, which has allowed websites to embed a Google Talk widget. This service is better provided by using the Meebo bar.
  • Google Video has already stopped taking uploads; the remainder will be moved to YouTube hosting exclusively as of August 20.
  • iGoogle will retire November 1, 2013, in deference to accessibility of real-time information now available to most anyone with a smartphone.
  • The Symbian Search App will be retired to better focus efforts “on our mobile web search experience.” Users are encouraged to use google.com rather than the application.

Google said that closing products “always involves tough choices, but we do think very hard about each decision and its implications for our users.”  Some are considered bold moves that have significant impact on how users will interact on the internet.

How about you? Do you have experience with any of these products or their “upgrades”? Will these changes significantly affect how you use the internet? 

Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?