First Google Inbox and Now Google+, some fear that the removal of the “social network” will leave a hole in the Google toolbox.
The announcement of Google+ being shut down didn’t come as a surprise to those following their staggeringly low usage numbers compared to competitors. However, the speed at which they are sunsetting both Google Inbox and Google+ has some wondering if there are other reasons. Regardless of their reasoning, they will be removing both of these programs within this calendar year.
What is Google Inbox
If you haven’t heard of it by now, you might kick yourself for never knowing about Google Inbox. This experimental email platform was used to explore new, innovative features, with Google moving the most popular ones to Gmail. Google Inbox received praise for being reliable and innovative, but with many of the features being used in Gmail it seems logical to shut down the experimental platform. If they need one in the future, isn’t it more fun to create something new anyway?
Some items that you may start to see in your Gmail account that you can thank Google Inbox for perfecting: Snooze Emails, Calendar Integration, Smart Reply with Auto Responses, and Mail Bundling. We will miss Google Inbox greatly, but are excited to see more of these great features make communications through Gmail that much easier for everyone.
Why is Google+ Being Shut Down
In 2010, Google decided to enter the booming “social network” space by introducing Google+. Since, it has since become a place for small niche communities to come together. The removal of this platform will, at the very least, mean that they will be scrambling to find a new platform to use. For Google it seems that the risks far outweigh the rewards as a breach in user information that went unreported remains the focus of an ongoing government investigation. Perhaps the need for the network is no longer beneficial for Google.
What Happens To My Google+ Account?
For a while Google pushed their Google+ platform, requiring an account in order to log into YouTube or other Tools. This is no more, but perhaps you still have information saved on a Google+ account. Have no fear, it’s most likely already associated with your Gmail account, and still within reach. Take a moment and Read Google’s Blog and it’s a good idea to bookmark this article to reference in the future.
Over the next 10 months, you should take the time to export your data and remove your account. They have already hastened the shutdown of Google+ and there’s nothing to say that they don’t move it again. While there’s speculation as to the exact reason for the move, many pointing to data breaches, the only thing we know for sure is that it is going away sooner rather than later.
