12 Google Projects That Were Shut Down in 2015
Every year, Google takes risks by experimenting with new technologies. This fearless approach has led them to develop numerous services and products. However, it has also gained them a reputation for shutting down projects that are no longer seen as viable or worthy of further investment. In 2015, Google continued this trend by closing the doors on several ventures.
According to Alan Eustace, Senior Vice President at Google, “Technology evolves, people’s needs change, and some ventures succeed while others do not.”
In this article, I will take you through the 13 Google products and services that were shut down in 2015. Let’s say our goodbyes to these short-lived projects.
Some services can be frustrating, leaving you in a bind to find alternatives. But then there are the ones that catch you off guard with their shutdown announcement. Let me show you what I mean.
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100+ Google Services and Tools You Need to Know for Maximum Productivity
When you think of Google, you probably think of the classics like Google Search, Gmail, Chrome, YouTube, or Android. But hold on a second, there’s more! Read on to discover some hidden gems.
Google TV
(No longer available since: Jan 6, 2015)
In May 2010, Google announced a new service called Google Video. It was designed to make watching online videos more interactive and engaging by adding an overlay to video sites. However, despite several updates, Google Video ended up being more focused on turning your TV into a computer rather than improving the viewing experience.
To address this issue, Google decided to transition from Google TV to Android TV with the launch of Android Lollipop. This switch would allow developers to create applications for the TV using the same tools and features available for Android phones and tablets.
Unfortunately, not all Google TV devices will be able to receive the Android TV update due to compatibility limitations.
In summary, Google Video started with good intentions but missed the mark by prioritizing TV computerization over an exceptional viewing experience. The company is now moving towards Android TV to provide a better and more cohesive platform for developers. However, not all Google TV devices will support this update.
(No longer available after January 25, 2015)
I have some bad news. Starting from January 25, 2015, this amazing product that everyone loved will no longer be available. It’s disappointing, I know. It’s like saying goodbye to an old friend. But hey, life is all about change, right? Sometimes we have to let go of things we love and move on to new adventures.
I’m sure you’re wondering why this product is being discontinued. Well, there could be many reasons. Maybe it’s not profitable anymore, or maybe it’s been replaced by something even better. Sometimes companies make decisions that we don’t understand. But that’s part of life too.
So what are we supposed to do now? Well, we have two options. We can either mourn the loss of this amazing product and dwell on what could have been, or we can embrace the change and look forward to what the future holds. I’ll admit, it’s not easy to let go, especially when we’re so attached to something. But you know what they say, when one door closes, another one opens.
Maybe this is an opportunity for us to try something new. We can explore different options and discover new things that we never knew existed. Who knows, we might find something even better than what we had before. Change can be scary, but it can also be exciting.
So let’s not dwell on the past. Let’s focus on the present and the future. Let’s take this as an opportunity to grow and evolve. Life is full of surprises, and you never know what amazing things are waiting for you just around the corner.
Remember, it’s not the end of the world. This is just a small bump on the road of life. We’ve faced challenges before and we’ve overcome them. We’re resilient, and we can handle whatever comes our way.
So let’s say goodbye to this amazing product with a smile on our faces. Let’s thank it for all the good times and the memories. And let’s look forward to what lies ahead. Because who knows, the best is yet to come.
In March 2005, Google announced the launch of Google Code, a platform designed to host open-source projects reliably. Although it didn’t become available until 2006, it soon gained popularity. However, in August 2015, Google Code transitioned to read-only mode and is scheduled to shut down on January 25, 2016. This means that version control clients will no longer be supported.
According to Chris DiBona, the Director of Open Source at Google, the decision to shut down Google Code was driven by the emergence of superior project hosting services like GitHub and Bitbucket. Many projects have already migrated to these platforms. After assessing user activity on Google Code, it became evident that the service is no longer necessary.
Google Talk
(Discontinued on: Feb 23, 2015)
On August 24, 2005, Google unveiled the Windows version of its Google Talk app. This nifty little program allowed you to call and instant message your friends on Google Talk for free over the internet. It used the XMPP protocol, which meant you could also use it with other XMPP clients like GAIM and Trillian, among others.
But alas, all good things come to an end. On February 23, 2015, Google officially announced that the Google Talk app for Windows would be deprecated. Mayur Kamat, a Product Manager at Google Voice and Hangouts, explained that this move would enable them to focus on providing users with the best possible experience through Google Hangouts.
And as an additional piece of information, the ClientLogin protocol, which was used for authentication, was discontinued on April 20, 2015.
A protocol called ClientLogin used to let third-party apps access my Google account by checking my username and password. But it wasn’t very secure, so Google decided to shut it down in 2015. They said that relying on passwords alone had some problems, and they were working on finding a better way. This change also affected Google Helpouts, which got discontinued at the same time.
In November 2013, Google introduced an online collaboration and tutorial service called Google Helpouts. This platform aimed to connect people seeking help with experts who could provide real-time assistance through live streaming videos. By offering face-to-face communication, Helpouts allowed users to receive expert guidance and work together to solve problems.
Although Google Helpouts was designed to be helpful, it was shut down on April 20, 2015. The reason for its closure was the slow growth of the platform. According to Google, Helpouts did not achieve the expected rate of growth, leading them to make the difficult decision to discontinue the service.
Another service discontinued by Google was Google+ Photos, which was shut down on August 1, 2015.
Google+ Photos was a feature within Google+ that allowed users to create, edit, and manage private photo albums online. It also had a neat feature called Stories, which would automatically organize your photos into a fun timeline or scrapbook.
Starting August 1, 2015, Google+ announced the gradual shutdown of Google+ Photos. They started with the Android version of the app, followed by the Web and iOS versions. It’s important to note that Google+ still supports photo and video sharing, so you can still share your precious moments with others.
So why did Google decide to shut down Google+ Photos? According to Anil Sabarwal, the Lead Product Manager at Google Photos, having two similar offerings confused users. It also meant that the team had to split their focus instead of working on delivering a single, exceptional user experience.
Now, let’s move on to another interesting Google service called PageSpeed Service.
(No longer available after: Aug 3, 2015)
Hey there, it’s time to say goodbye! After August 3, 2015, this feature will be discontinued. I know it’s sad because you’ve been using it regularly, but sometimes we have to let go of certain things.
Change is a natural part of life, and technology is always evolving. So, it’s necessary to make room for new ideas and improvements. Although it might be frustrating, it’s an opportunity for growth and innovation.
Just remember that there are always other options out there. You may find alternatives that are even better than what you’re used to. Don’t be afraid to explore and try new things.
Thanks for being a part of this journey with us. Your support and feedback have been invaluable. We appreciate you, and we hope to continue serving you in other ways. Stay curious, and keep exploring!
(No longer available after: Aug 3, 2015)
Back in July 2011, I launched Page Speed – a nifty online service that made web pages load faster and gave websites a hefty 25% to 60% boost in speed. It was like hitting the turbo button on your website’s loading time. And the best part? It was completely free!
Here’s how it worked: Page Speed acted as a content delivery network (CDN) that fetched content from a website’s servers. But it didn’t stop there. It also applied web performance best practices to the pages, making them load faster. And then, it served these speedy pages to users from Google’s super-fast servers, which were located all around the world.
It was a game-changer for many websites, making them load lightning-fast and giving visitors a seamless browsing experience. But sadly, all good things must come to an end.
On August 3, 2015, Google announced that the PageSpeed service would be shutting down. Their reason? Well, they had seen a lot of success with their open-source products that incorporated PageSpeed technology. So, they decided to focus their efforts on improving those instead.
But hey, remember Google Catalogs?
They also faced the same fate. On August 4, 2015, Google Catalogs bid us farewell and disappeared into the digital abyss. It was a sad day for all the fashionistas and catalog enthusiasts out there. We’ll always remember the joy of flipping through virtual pages and discovering new trends. But alas, all good things must come to an end.
In August 16, 2011, Google released the Catalogs app for Android tablets. It was a handy tool that allowed me to explore the latest products featured in digital catalogs. With Catalogs, I could easily find information about products, check their availability, and even create collages with my favorite catalogs.
But recently, I received an email from Google, announcing some unfortunate news. They informed me that they would no longer be supporting Catalogs and that the app would be discontinued on August 4, 2015. It was quite disheartening to hear, especially since they didn’t provide any explanation for the shutdown.
Saying Goodbye to Autocomplete API
(No longer available as of August 10, 2015)
Hey there! Let me tell you about this cool thing called the Autocomplete API. It was like a crystal ball for text, predicting what you were going to search for even before you finished typing. Pretty nifty, right? You could use it in your apps without needing any special permission or anything. It was just out there, waiting to be tapped into.
But here’s the thing: it’s not available anymore. It got shut down on August 10, 2015. So, unfortunately, you won’t find it floating around on the interwebs anymore. It was a fun tool while it lasted, though. And now, we’ll just have to type out our searches the old-fashioned way. Guess we’ll have to flex those fingers a little.
Google has taken action to prevent unauthorized access and usage of certain online tools, including keyword tools. This decision by Google requires these tools to adapt and find new ways to serve their users. In a blog post on Google’s Webmaster Central blog, Peter Chiu, speaking on behalf of the Autocomplete team, explained that the use of autocomplete data outside of a web search context does not offer meaningful benefits to users. The goal is to ensure that users experience autocomplete in the way it was intended – as a feature closely integrated with Search.
Google Moderator
(No longer available since August 15, 2015)
On September 24, 2008, I, Taliver Heath, a Platform Engineer at Google, released Google Moderator for everyone to use. It’s a tool that lets you gather questions from a group of people in a limited amount of time, and it uses consensus to highlight the most important or useful questions. We first used it at Google for tech talks to help us decide which questions to ask.
I have some news though. Google announced that August 15, 2015 would be Moderator’s last day. After that, the site will be taken down. But don’t worry, you can still download your Moderator’s data using Takeout starting from March 30th, 2015.
Why are we closing down Moderator? Well, to be honest, it hasn’t been used as much as we had hoped. So, we made the difficult decision to shut it down. It’s always tough to say goodbye to a project, but sometimes we have to make these choices.
Google Flu Trends
(No longer available as of August 20, 2015)
Have you ever wondered if a search engine could help track the spread of flu? Well, Google Flu Trends tried to do just that. By analyzing flu-related search queries, it aimed to provide real-time data on flu activity.
Unfortunately, Google Flu Trends is no longer operational. It was discontinued on August 20, 2015. Although it had good intentions, its predictions turned out to be less accurate than traditional flu surveillance methods, such as monitoring doctor visits or laboratory tests.
Despite its limitations, the idea behind Google Flu Trends was innovative. It showed how technology can be used to gather information and potentially contribute to public health efforts. But as with any experiment, it’s important to evaluate its effectiveness before relying on it completely.
So, while Google Flu Trends may no longer be around, the concept of using search query data for disease surveillance is still being explored. Who knows what new technologies and ideas will emerge in the field of public health in the future?
In November 2008, Google.org introduced an innovative service called Flu Trends. Its purpose was to monitor outbreaks of the flu by analyzing search trends. It used a search prediction model to estimate the prevalence of the flu and dengue fevers in real-time. It was a groundbreaking approach to tracking the spread of these diseases.
However, Google made a significant change in August 2015. They stopped publicly sharing the data on their website and decided to collaborate with health organizations instead. This means that instead of publishing their own estimates, they now provide the data to institutions specializing in infectious disease research. The goal is to empower these organizations to build their own models and make the most accurate predictions possible.
So, while Flu Trends might no longer be a public resource, its legacy lives on through the partnerships it has formed with health organizations. The fight against infectious diseases continues, now with even more powerful tools at our disposal.
In addition to Flu Trends, another project that Google launched was the Google Hotel Finder. Unfortunately, this service was discontinued on September 22, 2015.
In 2011, on July 28th, I launched an experimental tool called Hotel Finder. This tool was designed to help travelers like you find hotel information and book accommodations. I wanted to create a simple and easy-to-use search engine that would make finding the perfect hotel a breeze.
Hotel Finder had some great features that I’m really proud of. One of my favorites was the tourist spotlights. These spotlights gave you a glimpse into the best attractions and activities in each neighborhood, helping you make the most of your trip. I also created a short-list feature, which allowed you to keep track of your favorite hotels and compare them side by side.
However, in September 2015, Hotel Finder was replaced by a new service called Hotel Ads. This service allows you to book hotels directly from Google Search results. The decision to retire Hotel Finder was based on the fact that users like you can now find all the hotel information they need right from Google Search. It made sense to streamline the process and give you a seamless experience.
ADT for Eclipse
(Discontinued on: Dec 31, 2015)
I used to rely on ADT, otherwise known as Android Developer Tools, a plugin for Eclipse that provided a convenient environment for developing Android applications. It was a valuable tool that made the process much easier for me.
However, things have changed. Android Studio has become the official IDE for Android app development, and Google made an important announcement in June of 2015. They revealed that support for the ADT plugin for Eclipse would be coming to an end by December of that year.
According to Jama Eason, a Product Manager at Android, this decision was made in order to improve and speed up Android Studio. By focusing all of their efforts on this new IDE, they could provide a better experience for developers like you and me.