Google Plus shutdown?

[Langweilig]

Has anyone else received this e-mail?



Google+ Team <[e-mail]>



14:14 (7 hours ago)

to me

You've received this email because you have a consumer (personal) Google+ account or you manage a Google+ page.

In December 2018, we announced our decision to shut down Google+ for consumers in April 2019 due to low usage and challenges involved in maintaining a successful product that meets consumers' expectations. We want to thank you for being part of Google+ and provide next steps, including how to download your photos and other content.

On April 2nd, your Google+ account and any Google+ pages you created will be shut down and we will begin deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts. Photos and videos from Google+ in your Album Archive and your Google+ pages will also be deleted. You can download and save your content, just make sure to do so before April. Note that photos and videos backed up in Google Photos will not be deleted.

The process of deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts, Google+ Pages, and Album Archive will take a few months, and content may remain through this time. For example, users may still see parts of their Google+ account via activity log and some consumer Google+ content may remain visible to G Suite users until consumer Google+ is deleted.

As early as February 4th, you will no longer be able to create new Google+ profiles, pages, communities or events.

See the full FAQ for more details and updates leading up to the shutdown.

If you're a Google+ Community owner or moderator, you may download and save your data for your Google+ Community. Starting early March 2019, additional data will be available for download, including author, body, and photos for every community post in a public community. Learn more

If you sign in to sites and apps using the Google+ Sign-in button, these buttons will stop working in the coming weeks but in some cases may be replaced by a Google Sign-in button. You'll still be able to sign in with your Google Account wherever you see Google Sign-in buttons. Learn more

If you've used Google+ for comments on your own or other sites, this feature will be removed from Blogger by February 4th and other sites by March 7th. All your Google+ comments on all sites will be deleted starting April 2, 2019. Learn more

If you're a G Suite customer, Google+ for your G Suite account should remain active. Contact your G Suite administrator for more details. You can also expect a new look and new features soon. Learn more

If you're a developer using Google+ APIs or Google+ Sign-in, click here to see how this will impact you.

From all of us on the Google+ team, thank you for making Google+ such a special place. We are grateful for the talented group of artists, community builders, and thought leaders who made Google+ their home. It would not have been the same without your passion and dedication.

Google LLC 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043

You have received this mandatory email service announcement to update you about important changes to your Google+ Page, product or account.

[Grayedout]

Yes received it but can't remember what I've got in Google+ !

[ging84]

Langweilig said:

Has anyone else received this e-mail?

Probably not, because no one uses google plus, that's the whole point
but they are shutting it down

[FourWheelDrift]

Typical google, they start things and stop things. They currently have 4 different messaging services at the moment and can't make their minds up what they want to do (Hangouts, Allo, Google Messages, G+). G+ is also used as simple and quick logins to websites and other apps. Which to me sounds a bit stupid. They say they "may add a sign in using a google account" option later, but won't that screw up accounts if they don't so you'll lose access if you you have to log in again?

[AJB88]

Yeh I got it, I used to use Google+ but deleted my profile last year.

[Corso Marche]

Yeah, not enough people were using it. They announced it was being closed down last year, at the end of summer or early autumn. They uncovered some security vulnerabilities, and when issuing fixes also announced they would close the service this year.

[Lemming Train]

FourWheelDrift said:

Typical google, they start things and stop things.

Yup. They've just recently done the same thing with Fusion Tables which I have several databases under. Closing towards the end of this year so will have to find something else.

I've never used Google+ and the only reason I have it was because there was some reason to create one years ago to access something or other. I don't think it's going to be missed.

[el romeral]

Lemming Train said:

I've never used Google+ and the only reason I have it was because there was some reason to create one years ago to access something or other. I don't think it's going to be missed.

I think this is the same reason that I have Google+. I never use any of the features on it and will not miss it.

One thing I wondered though, will my gmail account remain unaffected by this closure?

[Lemming Train]

Yes.

[budgie smuggler]

FourWheelDrift said:

Typical google, they start things and stop things. They currently have 4 different messaging services at the moment and can't make their minds up what they want to do (Hangouts, Allo, Google Messages, G+). G+ is also used as simple and quick logins to websites and other apps. Which to me sounds a bit stupid. They say they "may add a sign in using a google account" option later, but won't that screw up accounts if they don't so you'll lose access if you you have to log in again?

Yeah I'm starting to get a bit cheesed off with them tbh.

"Hey everyone! use our new GMail Inbox service!"
...
"Hey everyone! now you've switched to Inbox and spent a load of time setting it up and learning it, we're scrapping it and you have to go back to GMail lol"

[el romeral]

Lemming Train said:

Yes.

Phew, thanks.
Anything that avoids having to redo or change stuff!

[Alucidnation]

Langweilig said:

.... our decision to shut down Google+ for consumers in April 2019 due to low usage and challenges involved in maintaining a successful product......

Oh the irony.

[ging84]

budgie smuggler said:

Yeah I'm starting to get a bit cheesed off with them tbh.

"Hey everyone! use our new GMail Inbox service!"
...
"Hey everyone! now you've switched to Inbox and spent a load of time setting it up and learning it, we're scrapping it and you have to go back to GMail lol"

How dare they
Some companys' marketing departments were paying good money for you to use that

[budgie smuggler]

ging84 said:

budgie smuggler said:

Yeah I'm starting to get a bit cheesed off with them tbh.

"Hey everyone! use our new GMail Inbox service!"
...
"Hey everyone! now you've switched to Inbox and spent a load of time setting it up and learning it, we're scrapping it and you have to go back to GMail lol"

How dare they
Some companys' marketing departments were paying good money for you to use that

What's your point?
I know the service is paid for with my data, I don't object to that.

What I object to is them wasting my time by introducing something and encouraging me to switch, they just about iron all the bugs out and get it working really nicely, then scrap it

[ZesPak]

Yep, throwing a lot of stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks.

I had a quick look around google plus and I liked it over facebook, as one of the first things I remember is it asking me to set up "circles", so that you share stuff not with your entire network but with "circles" (like family, work friends,...)

But, if no one uses it...

The messaging also but me a lot. I really like Hangouts and use it a lot on a daily basis... but everyone is on WhatsApp and has been for years 'round our part of the world (BeNeLux).
I'm glad they added the option to use a web interface for WhatsApp but it's still not the same though.

[C70R]

FourWheelDrift said:

Typical google, they start things and stop things.

I'm confused - what else do you want a tech company to do?
They need to experiment with new ideas to see what works. But for things that don't work (like G+), they can't be expected to foot the development bill of maintaining a free service for a tiny number of active users. That's how progress works...

[Derek Smith]

I had the email and didn't realise I'd signed up for it. I've just clicked on G+ on my Google account and it lists all my videos off YouTube. I didn't post them, so I assume it was automatic.

[budgie smuggler]

C70R said:

I'm confused - what else do you want a tech company to do?
They need to experiment with new ideas to see what works. But for things that don't work (like G+), they can't be expected to foot the development bill of maintaining a free service for a tiny number of active users. That's how progress works...

Well the obvious answer would be run for example one or two messaging/calling services/apps and test features in those rather than running seven overlapping services (iirc) then scrapping them completely 6 - 24 months later

hangouts
duo
allo
maps/mybusiness messaging
youtube messenger
chat
android messages

far as I know those are all separate and incompatible. Previously we also had

Buzz
spaces
Talk
Wave
Voice
GChat
Circles (actually was that a seperate one or linked with something else? I can't remember)

Edited by budgie smuggler on Friday 8th February 10:20

[C70R]

budgie smuggler said:

C70R said:

I'm confused - what else do you want a tech company to do?
They need to experiment with new ideas to see what works. But for things that don't work (like G+), they can't be expected to foot the development bill of maintaining a free service for a tiny number of active users. That's how progress works...

Well the obvious answer would be run for example one or two messaging/calling services/apps and test features in those rather than running seven overlapping services (iirc) then scrapping them completely 6 - 24 months later

hangouts
duo
allo
maps/mybusiness messaging
youtube messenger
chat
android messages

far as I know those are all separate and incompatible. Previously we also had

Buzz
spaces
Talk
Wave
Voice
GChat
Circles (actually was that a seperate one or linked with something else? I can't remember)

Edited by budgie smuggler on Friday 8th February 10:20

I can see why this might be confusing for a non-savvy consumer, but this is how big tech companies work. They need to 'test and learn' at scale.

[FourWheelDrift]

It's not how big companies work, they do not release and run 7 different and incompatible messaging services to the public. They release 1 and then make improvements to that service based on the feedback they receive. Gaining 100% use instead of just 14% use over 7 different platforms and then cry that no one is using them so start shutting them down.

Having so many different options is why users use non-google messaging services.

https://www.engadget.com/2018/12/06/google-allo-me...