Abstract
- Google is notorious for launching a barrage of merchandise, solely to kill most of them off a couple of years later.
- Some failures this 12 months included Eager, Jamboard, and Nest Safe.
- Different merchandise, just like the Chromecast, have been merely rebranded and/or transitioned.
One of many issues Google is notorious for is launching a product to nice fanfare, solely to kill it off when it is not instantly profitable. Stadia is a first-rate instance. In some circumstances, even the fanfare was by no means there — does anybody bear in mind Neighbourly? Most likely not, however you might need if Google had truly put some cash and advertising behind it.
A number of extra merchandise have been added to the Google Graveyard in 2024. A number of of those will be blamed on Google’s unhealthy habits, however in different circumstances the corporate transitioned folks over to new merchandise, whether or not they needed it or not. For instance, you may now be shopping for a Google TV Streamer as an alternative of a Chromecast.
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1 Eager
The Pinterest that by no means had an opportunity
Eager was doomed from the beginning — I have been a tech journalist for many years, and I missed its launch, a lot much less that it was nonetheless going. It first arrived in 2020 as a competitor to Pinterest. The one sensible variations, nevertheless, have been its ties to Google, and pinboards being renamed to “keens.”
When you launch a product that is no higher than what everyone seems to be already utilizing, nobody’s going to hassle to modify over.
The lesson is one which sport publishers have realized with the glut of failed “dwell service” video games, comparable to Harmony and Suicide Squad. When you launch a product that is no higher than what everyone seems to be already utilizing, nobody’s going to hassle to modify over, particularly when you do not put it on the market.
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2 Nest Safe
Leaving owners within the lurch
Whereas we’d chortle about among the issues Google kills off, this one had critical ramifications. Nest Safe was the corporate’s residence alarm system, revolving round a keypad hub paired to door and window sensors. The product wasn’t migrated from the Nest app to Google Residence and the hub was bricked in April 2024, because it might not log on. Individuals who trusted Safe for defense have been pressured to take a alternative from ADT or else select a platform on their very own, like Arlo or Ring.
What’s complicated is that Google nonetheless affords Nest safety merchandise, specifically the Cam and Doorbell lineups. It could be that Safe simply wasn’t widespread sufficient to justify growth assets.
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3 Dropcam
Now that is product help
A constructive good residence story comes within the type of Dropcam. Whereas no new Dropcam merchandise have shipped since Google purchased the corporate in 2014, present cameras obtained help till April 2024. When that deadline arrived, Google supplied free Nest Cams to remaining house owners. The transfer won’t have glad everybody, however it was higher than having to modify manufacturers, as occurred with Nest Safe.
Dropcam was initially based in 2009, so it is doable that some folks have been utilizing its cameras for nicely over a decade — earlier than 1080p was frequent, by no means thoughts good residence ecosystems like Google Residence.
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4 Google Podcasts
A complicated competitor to Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts ought to’ve been a slamdunk. Whereas the time period “podcasts” refers to Apple’s iPod, thousands and thousands of individuals do not use Apple gadgets, so that they have no motive to make use of Apple Podcasts (previously part of iTunes). In an alternate timeline, Google’s app might’ve change into the default for the lots, particularly on Android telephones.
The corporate uncared for the app, failing to construct it into a sturdy (and even absolutely impartial) entity. Its wind-down was introduced on October 2023, finishing in April 2024. An eventful month. The one Google-supported podcast platform is now YouTube Music, which affords the benefit of video help however is not as handy for audio as some third-party apps.
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5 Chromecast
Adios, low-cost dongles
It is easy to neglect, however when the unique Chromecast dongle shipped in 2013, it was a revelation. It introduced superior media streaming to any TV with an HDMI port for simply $35. You probably did have to make use of a telephone or laptop to manage that media, however it was definitely worth the trouble on condition that rivals just like the first-gen Apple TV value a number of instances as a lot. Chromecasts have been additionally moveable, letting customers change TVs on the fly.
The dongle’s underlying casting protocol has since change into widespread throughout apps and gadgets. In a way, Google hasn’t even killed the Chromecast lineup — it is simply that the Google TV Streamer does not use the identical branding, and it is considerably bigger and costlier. It is also extra area of interest now that many TVs have Google TV inbuilt.
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6 VPN by Google One
One much less motive to subscribe to One
To boost Google One subscriptions past their additional cloud storage, Google began together with a VPN (digital personal community) service in October 2020. VPNs are primarily helpful for additional safety, however will also be used to get round arbitrary regional obstacles, say if the US model of YouTube has one thing lacking in Canada.
Google put an finish to its VPN choice in June 2024 — as a multiplatform providing, anyway. VPN expertise is baked into Google Pixel gadgets, which for some buyers could also be a motive to decide on them over different Android telephones.
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7 Jamboard
A pricey enterprise enterprise
The common client wasn’t conscious of the Jamboard, however not like Eager, Google anticipated that — the product was a 55-inch good whiteboard aimed on the enterprise market. You solely want a wise whiteboard when you’re a faculty or giant company, not when you’re jotting down grocery and to-do lists.
The Jamboard was doomed for a few causes, starting with its $5,000 pricetag, which was nicely above what comparable whiteboards value. You have been additionally anticipated to make use of it with Google’s customized Jamboard software program. Even when Google have been much less flaky as an organization, organizations might not have been enthusiastic about paying for one thing so area of interest. The software program stopped engaged on New 12 months’s Day 2025.
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8 Google Bard
A query of selling?
When Google first revealed its generative AI push in February 2023, it was underneath the Bard identify, not Gemini. I am nonetheless not totally positive why Google switched branding a 12 months later, because the time period “bard” appears extra apt for one thing that may discuss to you and rewrite textual content. Bard’s output was even shakier than Gemini’s, although, and “Gemini” might sound somewhat sexier.
The excellent news is that Google appears firmly dedicated to Gemini. It is in every single place, even highlighted in TV commercials for the Pixel 9. It ought to ultimately substitute Google Assistant, which continues to be discovered on some Android gadgets, in addition to good audio system and shows.
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