If you are an internet user, you have used at least one of the Google products. In 2017, the company had seven of its products with over one billion users, including Gmail, Search, YouTube, Maps, Android, and Google Play Store. Besides, the Android product hosted 2 billion active devices by 2017.
However, Google has had its downs; some of its top IT products lay in the graveyard. But how can such a giant with lots of resources experience a flop? Just like any other company, some of its products didn’t do well in the market.
- Google Talk
Google Talk, also referred to as Gchat or Gmessage, was a one-stop-shop for messaging services. You could have used it for text and voice communication. It was available on Microsoft Windows, BlackBerry, Android, and Chrome operating systems.
Oops! In February 2015, the Google Talk app for Windows was discontinued, and you couldn’t access it. Later in 2017, Google cut off the Gchat App for Android and the Google Chat tool in Gmail. Google advised Windows users’ to use the Hangout app on the Chrome browser platform.
- Google Notebook
The app functioned from 2006 to 2011 and allowed users to cut and paste texts into personal Notebooks. It was a useful tool for searching content on Google. However, in 2013, Google Keep replaced it.
Unfortunately, Google is planning to end support towards the Google Keep Chrome app by February 2021. It is planning to move it to Google Keep on Web. Besides, you won’t be able to access Google Keep on the Chrome OS. It is a long term plan for the company to do away with Chrome apps.
- Google Wave
Google Wave came in 2009/2010, and less than two years, it had flopped. The Google Wave allowed you to develop a wave and add people to it. It allowed those in your wave to utilize photos, gadgets and feeds from other sources on the web.
First, the Google Wave failure came because it was ahead of time. Google launched the product when people didn’t realize its benefit. Besides, its release was prematurely, thus making it difficult for Google to develop it fully.
- Google Buzz
Google Buzz came to replace Google wave. It was intergraded into Gmail to allow users to share links, videos, and status messages. You could either share what you posted publicly with the world or privately to your group of friends.
However, on 14th October 2011, Google announced the closure of Google Buzz services. The Google IT product was discontinued in December 2011 and was replaced by Google+. Unfortunately, Google+ never survived and was closed in April 2019.
- Google Reader
If you were a Twitter user or a blogger in 2013 when Google announced Google Reader’s closure, you could have panicked. For the eight years the app had run, you could aggregate RSS-enabled feeds from different platforms.
The app had a loyal crowd of users, but Google decided to shut it because of its decline in usage. However, you can still combine your feeds using RSS platforms like Feedly on your Android and desktop gadget.
- Quick Office
Quick Office was the best alternative to Microsoft Office for your mobile platforms. You could view and edit text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations using it. In 2012, Google acquired Quick Office and launched it as a free application in September 2013.
The app was available for both Android and iOS mobile operating systems through Google Play and App Store. Besides, you could access it through Google Chrome. However, on 25th June 2014, in an official blog, Google announced that it would no longer support Quick Office. The company said that you could access the Quick Office services and products on Drive instead.
- Google Fiber
What a loss to the people of Louisville, Kentucky? Google fiber was a high-speed internet to use. Its installation in Louisville began in late 2017 when its construction was going on. The Google product received a good turnaround because it used a shallow trenching strategy.
However, in February 2019, Google announced it would cease to provide fiber services in Louisville. This is after a couple of fiber installation failure. As a result, cables were left hanging on the roads. Google offered two weeks of free fiber services to allow the users to switch to ISPs.
- Google Glass
Google Glass was one of the greatest innovations from Google. The device was able to put your computer in front of your eye. As a result, you could video everything that you saw. After its introduction, people saw its great success but oops! Google Glass was no more with time.
One of the reasons why Google Glass did not survive is because it was not launched properly. It missed some important aspects of product launch and marketing. Besides, it was not clear whether Google Glass should be used as a fashionable gadget or for specific purposes.
- Google SMS Search
Google SMS Search allowed users to submit search queries and get results via text from Google. However, from 6th May 2013, Google SMS Search users realized that the app was not functioning. Once you sent your query, you would receive a message stating that SMS Search has ceased.
Google spokesperson wrote, “Closing products always involves tough choices, but we do think very hard about each decision and its implications for our users. Streamlining our services enables us to focus on creating beautiful technology that will improve people’s lives” on Google Web Search Help.
- Google Tango
With Google Tango, your tablet or smartphone could detect its position in connection to the world around you without using GPS or other external signals. As a result, application developers could develop user experiences such as 3D mapping and indoor navigation.
To demonstrate Tango, Google developed two devices: the Yellowstone 7-inch tablet and the Peanut phone. By June 2015, software developers had bought more than 3,000 machines.
Google announced that it would partner with Lenovo to launch a smartphone that features Tango technology during the summer of 2016. The phone would cost less than $500 and would be below 6.5 inches. However, on 15th December, Google told the world that it would cease supporting Tango as of 1st March 2018. This was to favor ARCore.
Google has developed millions of products that have excited the digital generation. However, the road has not been smooth in some product development and launch. As a result, some have flopped and left users missing their solutions.