Google Explains Why They Killed Their RSS Reader: It’s Your Fault

In an interview with Wired, Google explains why they killed their RSS reader:

But there’s another reason Google decided to put its RSS reader to death. According to Mountain View, most of us simply consume news differently now than when Reader was launched.

“As a culture we have moved into a realm where the consumption of news is a near-constant process,” says Richard Gingras, Senior Director, News & Social Products at Google. “Users with smartphones and tablets are consuming news in bits and bites throughout the course of the day — replacing the old standard behaviors of news consumption over breakfast along with a leisurely read at the end of the day.”

Google wants people to move away from the old “passive” model of sitting down and reading nows. Instead they’d like us to take an “active” approach, such as having artificial intelligence services such as Google Now tailer news and alerts based on our search preferences.

Google Reader is dying a slow death and will be gone by July 1. Alternatives out there include Feedly and possibly Digg’s upcoming RSS solution, aptly named ‘Digg Reader’. What’s your RSS reader pick to replace Reader?

P.S. - Like our news? Support the site with a coffee/beer. Or shop with our Amazon link. We use affiliate links when possible--thank you for supporting independent media.