Google has launched some great products over the years, but let's be honest, not every idea was a winner. But hey, you have to give Google credit for trying. After all, as the saying goes, 'You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.'
And in Google's case, they took a lot of shots, some of which missed the mark. So, let's take a moment to remember the discontinued apps that didn't quite make it and appreciate Google's willingness to take risks and experiment.
Introduction
Google is known for constantly innovating and releasing new products and services. However, not all of its ideas have been successful, and over the years, Google has discontinued several applications.
In this article, we'll take a look at eleven of these discontinued apps, their purpose, and why Google decided to stop supporting them, as well as any alternatives that users could switch to.
1. Google Wave
Google Wave was a communication and collaboration platform that combined email, instant messaging, and document sharing.
It was designed to be a more efficient way to communicate and collaborate online. However, it failed to gain widespread adoption, and Google discontinued it in 2012.
Some of its features were integrated into other Google services such as Google Drive and Google Docs.
2. Google Buzz
Google Buzz was a social networking and messaging tool that was integrated with Gmail. It allowed users to share updates, photos, and videos with their contacts. However, it faced backlash for privacy concerns, and Google discontinued it in 2011.
It was replaced by Google+, a social networking site that allowed users to share content with their contacts.
3. Google Reader
Google Reader was a web-based RSS reader that allowed users to subscribe to and read content from various websites in one place.
It was popular among heavy internet users and bloggers. However, Google discontinued it in 2013 due to declining usage and changes in the way people consume content on the Internet. Users could switch to other RSS readers such as Feedly or Flipboard.
4. Google Talk
Google Talk was a messaging and voice-over-IP service that allowed users to communicate with their contacts.
It was replaced by Google Hangouts in 2013, which offered more features and integration with other Google services. Google Hangouts has since been replaced by Google Chat and Google Meet.
5. iGoogle
IGoogle was a personalized homepage that allowed users to add and customize widgets for news, weather, email, and other content.
It was discontinued in 2013 due to the rise of mobile devices and the shift towards mobile apps. Users could switch to other personalized homepage services such as Protopage or Netvibes.
6. Google Notebook
Google Notebook was a note-taking and web-clipping service that allowed users to save and organize notes and web content.
However, Google stopped supporting it in 2011 and recommended users to switch to Google Docs or Google Keep instead. Google Keep is a note-taking app that allows users to create and organize notes, lists, and reminders.
7. Google Lively
Google Lively was a virtual reality platform that allowed users to create and customize avatars and interact in virtual rooms. It was discontinued in 2009 due to low user adoption.
8. Google Answers
Google Answers was a question-and-answer service that allowed users to ask and answer questions for a fee. It was discontinued in 2006 due to competition from free Q&A sites like Yahoo Answers which has shut down as of May 4, 2021.
9. Google Catalogs
Google Catalogs was a digital catalog service that allowed users to browse and shop from catalogs online. It was discontinued in 2015 due to the rise of e-commerce platforms like Amazon.
10. Google Glass
Google Glass was a wearable technology that featured a head-mounted display and allowed users to access information hands-free. It was discontinued as a consumer product in 2015, but still has some uses in enterprise applications.
11. Google Wallet
Google Wallet was a mobile payment system that allowed users to make payments using their smartphones. It was replaced by Google Pay in 2018.
Conclusion
Google has launched many successful products and services over the years, but not all of them have been able to gain traction.
These eleven discontinued apps represent a small fraction of Google's overall product portfolio, but they still demonstrate the company's willingness to experiment and take risks.
While some users may have been disappointed by the discontinuation of these apps, there are always alternatives available, and Google continues to innovate and release new products and services.
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