Google has announced that it will shut down Aardvark along with some other, older, services that it has been supporting for a while now. Aardvark (for which Google paid $50 million just last year) was a social search engine that apparently wasn’t keeping up with Google’s expectations. Among Aardvark, Google Desktop, Google Pack, and a variety of other products/services are also on the chopping block, allowing Google to focus more on products such as Google+.
My Opinion: GOOD FOR YOU GOOGLE!
I think this approach, which can easily be seen as being inspired by Steve Jobs, can do WONDERS for a technology-based company. Focus! Focus! Focus!
Remember when Google was just the giant in search? Then maps. The focus on both of those for example, in my opinion, provided an easy way for them to become synonymous with search and maps. I don’t even think twice when I type google.com/maps anymore – it's completely second nature.
Don’t get me wrong – I love(d) it when Google comes out with new stuff – more toys to play with. But perhaps they stretched themselves a little too thin. Maybe letting go of some of the old furniture can spruce up the place!
So hopefully along with improving and adding upon Google+ (which I’ve barely played around with), we can see some more new innovative technology come out of Google. I for one, can’t wait to see what’s next.
Thanks for reading!