Google has by no means flinched from killing off initiatives that weren’t as worthwhile or related as the corporate anticipated. As a substitute of staying quiet about them, Google often declares which initiatives it will not be going ahead with.
Embracing the custom, this 12 months Google is waving goodbyes to 6 extra initiatives—growing its failed initiatives depend to a complete of 263. Let’s be taught extra concerning the initiatives which can be getting axed in 2022, how they began, and why Google is doing so.
1. Android Issues
Code-named as Brillo, Google first introduced Android Issues at Google I/O 2015, but it surely was solely accessible to the general public in 2018. Android Issues was an working system for IoT gadgets. Primarily, it was an Android OS equal for low-powered {hardware} gadgets equivalent to sensible audio system, sensible door locks, and so forth.
Initially, its goal was to permit builders to design apps for IoT gadgets with present Android instruments. Quickly after its launch, a number of OEMs together with JBL, Lenovo, and LG Electronics launched sensible audio system and shows powered by it.
In 2019, Google introduced that it is refocusing Android Issues as an OS platform to prioritize sensible shows and audio system with built-in Google Assistant. With that announcement, the preliminary imaginative and prescient of Android Issues to assist any {hardware} system has narrowed right down to smartphone-class gadgets.
Nonetheless, a 12 months later in 2020, Google introduced that the platform would cease taking over new initiatives from January 2021 and can be utterly shut down in January 2022. Whereas Google does not say a lot concerning the shutdown, it’s in all probability as a result of the undertaking wasn’t as profitable as Google anticipated.
2. Cameos on Google
Google Cameos or Cameos on Google is a video-based Q&A answering app. It launched on the Apple App Retailer in August 2018 and on the Google Play Retailer in October 2019. Google Cameos is invite-only, so except you’re a well-liked influencer or a star, you will not have entry to the app.
The concept of the app was to keep away from the unfold of misinformation by giving celebrities entry to reply their followers’ questions through brief movies. Followers may discover these movies under the data panels of the mentioned celebrities.
The app was an extension of Google Posts, a discontinued characteristic that allowed companies to put up their messages on Google. Following the identical highway, Google is pulling the plug on Google Cameos too in February 2022, however customers can nonetheless obtain these movies till March 2022.
3. G Suite (Legacy Free Version)
G Suite’s Legacy Free Version is Google’s providing of its assortment of productiveness and collaboration apps to varsities and companies.
Launched in 2006, Google introduced its discontinuation in 2012 however did not really go forward with it. As a substitute, it stopped providing the free version to new prospects, however the ones that had already signed up may nonetheless use the service.
In January 2022, Google emailed G Suite customers informing them concerning the discontinuation of the service (supposedly for actual, this time) from Might 2022. It additional urged customers improve to a paid model of G Suite—now rebranded as Google Workspace—to proceed utilizing the apps’ premium options.
Within the e-mail, Google provides, “Upgrading out of your G Suite legacy free version to Google Workspace will solely take you a couple of brief steps and isn’t disruptive to your end-users. To assist you on this transition, you’ll have low cost choices for 12 months after July 1, 2022.” On high of that, eligible nonprofits can entry Google Workspace at discounted costs.
4. Google Chrome Apps
Virtually a decade in the past, Chrome wasn’t succesful to load resource-heavy web sites quick sufficient. So, to smoothen the expertise, it allowed you to obtain “apps” from the Chrome Internet Retailer.
However as Chrome turned extra environment friendly and feature-rich, Google introduced in 2016 that it plans to kill the in-browser chrome apps.
The method began in 2017 when the Chrome Apps tab was deleted within the Chrome Internet Retailer. In 2020, Google stopped accepting new apps. And by June 2022, the assist will finish for all present Chrome app customers for all working techniques.
Google offers an in depth deprecation timeline and says, “This variation doesn’t influence assist for Chrome Extensions. Google will proceed to assist and spend money on Chrome Extensions on all present platforms.”
5. Google OnHub
Google OnHub is a cellular app-enabled wi-fi router launched in 2016. It was one of many few wi-fi routers out on the time and will robotically replace itself and get safety upgrades (which was cool again then). It was marketed as a router that’s “straightforward to make use of and constructed for the long run”.
Within the years since, Google developed Google Wi-Fi, which is why the corporate is discontinuing Google OnHub. For the reason that routers are {hardware}, they are going to proceed to work indefinitely, however will not get any extra software program updates or new options from December 19, 2022.
Google support page mentions the constraints of utilizing OnHub after the service shutdown. It additional recommends OnHub customers improve to new Wi-Fi setups and provides them a 40 % low cost on Nest Wi-Fi on the Google Retailer.
6. YouTube Originals
YouTube Originals, part of YouTube, began in 2016 to supply and stream unique collection, documentaries, films, and occasions from YouTube.
It was began as a direct competitor to a number of streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and so on. Nonetheless, YouTube Originals centered extra on creating content material that featured common YouTube content material creators.
Regardless of the efforts of Google in producing some nice content material like Cobra Kai, Liza on Demand, Justin Bieber: Seasons, YouTube originals did not take off as anticipated. On 18th January 2022, YouTube’s Chief Enterprise Officer, Robert Kyncl, posted on Twitter concerning the undertaking’s shutdown.
Though the precise timeline of its finish just isn’t clear, Kyncl mentions that they are going to proceed to spend money on the unique content material of YouTube Children Fund and the Black Voices Fund.
He additionally mentions that Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, is leaving the corporate quickly, which may have additionally contributed to the undertaking’s dying.
Extra Initiatives Be part of the Google Cemetery
As Google continues to experiment in several areas, it is apparent that we’re going to see extra initiatives fail through the years. However the data from every undertaking continues to help the corporate infinitely.
Whereas a few of them, like G Suite and Google OnHub, are rebranded or prolonged into different applied sciences, others like Google Chrome Apps, YouTube Originals, Android Issues, and Cameos are killed off for good. No matter its failed initiatives, Google boldly continues to step into new territories.
Learn Subsequent
About The Writer
