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Google Reader to Shut Down on July 1st, Due to Declining Usage [Update]
Google has announced a bunch of ‘spring cleaning’ items and one of them includes their popular RSS client, Google Reader (seriously):
We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.
Google says “these changes are never easy” but they want to focus their efforts to concentrate on “building great products that really help in their lives.” Umm…Google Reader does help my daily life–it’s an essential part of my workflow. Are you using Google Reader?
We're retiring Reader on July 1. We know many of you will be sad to see it go. Thanks for 8 great years! http://t.co/0jtSqBnORp
— Google Reader (@googlereader) March 13, 2013
The Google Reader blog says:
There are two simple reasons for this: usage of Google Reader has declined, and as a company we’re pouring all of our energy into fewer products. We think that kind of focus will make for a better user experience.
Update 5:56 PM: Feedly says it has been anticipating the shutdown of Google Reader, thus have been working on project Normandy, essentially a Feedly clone of the Google Reader API, running on Google App engine. So if you are a Google Reader using Feedly, once the shut down occurs your transition will be seamless. Feedly is available for iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox.
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Well that sucks. First iGoogle, now Reader? What’s the point of using Google for my home page then? The two websites I use the most are both going away.
Yeah, this news sucks. Hopefully they will change their minds. Not sure what they are thinking here.
they are thinking that you using google reader doesn’t make them enough money.
This is actually heartbreaking, heartbreaking!!!!!
I seriously am going to cry. Time to smash my iPhone!
It’s how I get my iPhoneInCanada news, that much I know.
True that.
What the hell? What I am going to do with Reeder on my iPhone,iPad and Mac? I use Google Reader way more than Facebook… That’s really sad…
I use Google Reader CONSTANTLY. I have more than 100 RSS feeds, many of which I follow for professional purposes, so I need a new RSS app quickly.
apparently, Reeder has sent out a text saying that Reeder users won’t be effected by the closure. They have a stellar app for both the Mac and iOS, if that helps. I rely on RSS on a daly basis as well, but I have been using Reeder for well over a year and I couldn’t be happier.
While trusting Google over the years, I think this is the worst decision they ever took. I don’t think their servers are being “hurt” if few people use Google Reader (since they said usage has declined). Plus, reading RSS using Google Reader’s service is my main application on all my devices. Bad move indeed.
And I forgot to mention that I’m ready to pay for Google Reader if they require to (if that’s the problem).
First iGoogle goes, now Google Reader…does Google not want me to use their services to browse the web? I wonder what Bing is up to these days….
Or even Yahoo!
This attitude towards users of their services is why many companies and individual developers are migrating over to Bing/Azure and other alternatives.
If they don’t smarten up, they might come to regret it some day if everyone either develops their own alternative or go with a competitor. I would not be surprised if their flippant attitude towards services factored into Apple developing Apple maps.
Developers like me are willing to “pay” for services but not if the provider goes around shutting off services because they don’t “feel” like running them anymore.
this saddens me greatly 🙁
I’m curious if the usage of the service or the website went down. I’m betting it’s the later coupled with the fact that it strips ads hurting their ad revenue stream.