Google is cleaning house.
Google has spread itself across many different avenues and have begun bringing everything closer together.
Just as we have seen a tighter integration with Google+ Plus and YouTube, another “module” of Google will be moving itself to Google+ Plus, but this one is shutting down.
Picnik
The popular online photo app Picnik will be closing down after being acquired by Google back in 2010. Picnick was originally slated to be migrated into Google’s Picasa (which is also integrated into Google+ Plus), but now it’s being integrated into all Google products. Picnick will be shut down in April, this year, and although both free and premium members are sad to see it go, you can now use many of Picnick’s filters and photo tools inside of Google+ Plus, giving Google+ Plus users another reason to use the new social network.
Other Services
Some other Google services are being discontinued, some you may recognize:
- Google Message Continuity
A service for backing up Microsoft Exchange emails. - Needlebase
A data management platform. - Social GraphAPI
A social graph API (Tricky, right?). - Urchin
This is a product Google used to build Google Analytics. - Sky Map
The Android application that uses GPS to show users constellations in the night sky.
Focus
Google won’t be abandoning Google Analytics. In fact, because they are letting Urchin go, they will be focusing on Google Analytics even more. So, we should see some new things developing there.
The same goes for Sky Map. It isn’t going to be buried with the likes of Needlebase. With a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, Google hopes to see students use Sky Map for projects.
As much as I would like to say Google’s consolidation moves are all about forcing everyone on Google+ Plus and competing with Facebook, I can’t help but wonder if this is more about focus. Not spreading themselves too thin and becoming more focused on few things as they bring everything closer to one single hub. Becoming more like Apple and less like Microsoft.
Or, may this is just business as usual. After all, last year they killed Buzz, Code Search, Jaiku, Aardvark, Fast Flip, Sidewiki, Image Labeler and others.
What do you think of Google’s latest moves?
Eric J says
I actually used google sky map once it was pretty cool i’m glad it is going to live on.
Eric Dye says
🙂
Whitney W says
I really hope google plus adds some touch up tools and other thing’s from picnik because I have got on and checked it out and as of right now its not worth messing with!very upset by this!oh and last I checked i couldnt save my photos back to my computer bogus!
Eric Dye says
It’s a real shame, for sure!