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Among all of Google’s success lies a graveyard of failed projects. From Google Podcasts to Android Things, these are the best projects that Google killed—and why we don’t think they were such a bad idea.
1Google Podcasts
Podcasting has grown exponentially over the late 2010s and early 2020s, and Google Podcasts was the company’s attempt to stand alongside the likes of Spotify and Apple Music. Google Podcasts initially launched in August 2018, and you could find plenty of interesting shows on the platform. Examples include Deep Dive With Ali Abdaal and Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO.
Google Podcasts was free to use for iOS and Android devices. Moreover, you could listen to podcasts via your web browser. Google announced in late 2023 that it would discontinue the app in April 2024, and podcasts would be featured on YouTube Music instead.
Why We Miss It:Google Podcasts was a user-friendly way to keep up with your favorite shows without purchasing a streaming service subscription. Apple users can use Apple Podcasts for free instead, but finding free Google Podcasts alternatives is trickier for Android owners.
If you’re an Android user, consider checking out thebest podcasting apps for Android.
Stadia, launched in November 2019, was one of Google’s most high-profile failures. The cloud gaming service had an impressive portfolio of games, including Assasin’s Creed, FIFA, and Far Cry. You could play games through multiple means, including your TV and apps.
Users could purchase subscription packages for Stadia at $10 per month, which included 4K streaming. However, the service also had a free plan. Google announced it would discontinue the service in September 2022 before shutting Stadia down in 2023.
3Android Auto for Phones
Android Auto for Phones was another promising but short-lived Google project. Whereas Android Auto normally requires you to set up your phone for mirroring, the clear disadvantage here is that your car needs a screen. The idea behind Android Auto was to help drivers access maps and other useful information in cars that didn’t have one.
Google launched Android Auto for Phones in 2019 before discontinuing the project in 2022. However, it started winding down Android Auto for Phones in 2021, and users haven’t been able to install the program since Android 12.
Why We Miss It:While most modern cars have built-in screens, the feature was useful for people with cars that didn’t. Thankfully, Android Auto in and of itself is still available.
If you were online in the early 2010s, you’ve almost certainly heard of Google+. First launched in 2011, as reported byYahoo News, Google+ had 500 million users in December 2012 (though only 100 million accounts were active). With Google+, you could share photo updates and external links with other users. You could give a +1 on announcements you liked, which worked in the same way as the “like” button on Facebook.
Google+ also let you comment on and share posts. But in April 2019, the platform was shut down. The platform is nowa B2B service known as Google Currents.
Why We Miss It:Google+ was confusing to learn at first, but it had a lot of use for discovering interesting content; it was especially helpful for businesses to share ideas. Google+ was also a cool alternative to Facebook if you wanted something similar without connecting specifically with people you knew.
Google’s interface changes throughout the year with different themes, but how cool would it be to fully customize your homepage? Well, that’s what iGoogle sought to solve. Launched in 2005, iGoogle allowed you to choose your own themes and add all kinds of widgets. You could see the weather, your calendar, and much more on the homepage. The (ancient!) video example above perfectly illustrates what iGoogle was all about: customization of your own web page.
Google discontinued iGooglein 2013. The company already moved in this direction one year earlier, announcing that it would remove social widgets from iGoogle to put more of its energy into…
… Google+.
Why We Miss It:iGoogle was an early look at the countless customization possibilities we have on our devices these days. But even now, we’d love to see it return. The Google homepage is fine for internet searches, but it would also be nice to gain an overview of the weather and whatnot; not everyone likes using their devices instead.
6Google Reader
Keeping up with information has always been a challenge on the internet, even in its early days. Google Reader sought to give users an easy way to follow the most important stories and content based on their interests.
After its release in October 2005, Google Reader lasted almost eight years before it was shut down in July 2013.
Why We Miss It:Google Reader would’ve been especially helpful in the modern internet age where the amount of information available is unlimited. It was a handy tool for aggregating everything you enjoy consuming without needing to search for those websites manually. The good news, however, is thatseveral Chrome extensions can help you read online articles better.
Picasa was one of the earlier options to organize your online photos, having launched in 2002. But it was much more than a place to put everything into files and folders; you could also edit your photos. With Picasa, you could adjust your pictures' lighting, remove redeye, and make auto corrections to your contrast and colors—plus much more.
Google opted to shut down Picasa in 2016 and integrate its organization and editing tools within Google Photos. So, if you want to access those today, you should go to Google Photos instead. Alternatively, try out thesefree alternatives to Photoshop.
Why We Miss It:Picasa was a great introduction to photo editing and features many of the same tools as you could find with paid programs like Adobe Lightroom. You also need a paid subscription to access many of Google Photos' editing tools, whereas this wasn’t the case with Picasa.
8Google Cardboard
You don’t need to go too far these days to find a conversation about virtual reality (VR), but did you know that Google ran its own VR project for almost seven years? Google Cardboard allowed you to put your smartphone in a cardboard viewer and check out VR content without paying thousands of dollars for a headset. In fact, people at the 2016 Coachella festival received their own versions when attending.
Google shipped tens of millions of headsets, including to various educational institutions. However, the project ended in March 2021.
Why We Miss It:Google Cardboard was only designed to increase interest in VR technology, but it was an interesting way to see what VR would look like in practice. It was also a great way to get more youngsters involved in the technical processes behind VR and potentially breed more innovators.
While Google has failed at several projects or voluntarily killed them off, the company’s experimental nature is also why it’s so successful. As Google continues to stand tall in the tech space, we expect plenty of exciting innovations in the future—even if not everyone pays off.
