Google has already pulled six products in 2023

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Published on 2023-04-11 by ToolHub

Google is notorious for its habit of killing off products,
and 2023 has been no exception. In just the first four months
of the year, the tech giant has already pulled the plug on
six products, leaving users scrambling for alternatives.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the products that have
been shut down in 2023 so far:

• Google Code Jam: This international
  programming competition was hosted and administered by
  Google. It consisted of multiple rounds of online and
  onsite contests, where participants had to solve
  challenging problems using their preferred programming
  language. The top 25 finalists got to compete for the title
  of Code Jam Champion and a prize of 15,000 USD at the
  Google headquarters. However, Google has decided to shut it
  down in 2023.

• Google Currents: This service provided
  social media features similar to Google+ for Workspace
  users. It was launched in July 2020 as a rebrand of the
  now-defunct Google+ platform. However, it was shut down in
  April 2023, and people using it were pushed to Spaces,
  Google’s equivalent of a Slack channel.

• Google Street View app: This app was
  available on Android and iOS and enabled people to get a
  360-degree view of locations around the world. It was
  over 12 years old but was shut down in March 2023. While
  the app is now gone, its functionality still exists on
  Google Maps and Street View Studio. As this
  comment on HN pointed out, this was a good move by
  Google.

• Google Jacquard: This small tag could be
  embedded into clothing and paired with a smartphone,
  allowing people to perform certain customizable actions
  on their phones without actually touching them. For
  example, a double-tap could play/pause music, brushing
  the fabric could change tracks, and covering the sensor
  would mute/unmute notifications. It was first unveiled
  back in 2015 by Google
  Advanced Technology & Projects (ATAP), but was killed
  in March 2023.

• Google Stadia: Google’s cloud gaming
  service allowed gamers to run AAA titles on cheaper
  hardware, including phones, laptops, and TVs. However, it
  was shut down on January 18 due to low user adoption.
  Google refunded all Stadia hardware purchased through the
  Google Store along with the games and add-ons purchased
  from the Stadia Store.

• Google OnHub: This wireless router was
  powered by Google software and managed by Google apps. It
  offered special features like Google Assistant and was sold
  in two versions, manufactured by either Asus or TP-Link. In
  2021, Google announced that the OnHub routers would no
  longer receive any software updates. Then in January 2023,
  the company rendered the product almost completely useless
  by disabling most of its features.

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