The Uncertain Reliability of Google: A Review of Discontinued Projects

📣 Google plans to support Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro with 7 years of OS security and feature drop updates, setting an industry-leading standard in smartphone support.

❓ Despite this, Google has a history of discontinuing products and services, raising doubts about the long-term reliability of relying on a large company.

🔄 Choosing between a small startup and a big company for smartphone support has its challenges, as both can potentially abandon projects or services.

🔑 Google is known for axing projects that don't gain a large user base or generate significant revenue.

⌛ Numerous Google services and products have been discontinued over the years, including Google Plus, Hangouts, and Chromecast Audio.

🔄 When Google kills a product, they often provide alternative solutions or support for affected users.

📚 Google has integrated some features from other apps into YouTube Music and Google Podcasts, but the transition is not always perfect.

🎮 Google Stadia, a gaming service, only lasted a few years but users were able to export their saved data and were refunded for every game.

💻 Google Domains was discontinued shortly after a user transferred their website domain to the platform.

Google launched a subscription plan called Pixel Pass alongside the Pixel 6.

The plan offered a new Pixel phone every two years along with YouTube Premium, YouTube Music, and Google 1 storage.

Google abruptly ended the program before the first upgrade cycle, leading to a loss of trust.

🔑 Google's new announcement promises seven years of software updates for their Pixel smartphones, which is unprecedented in the industry.

✅ Extending software support for longer periods benefits users, security, and the environment by making devices more useful and secure.

❌ However, there is skepticism about whether Google will be able to fulfill their promise, as they have a history of breaking promises.

📱 The Nexus program lasted five years before being replaced by the Pixel.

📺 Tech companies often announce new features that are not available at product launch.

⌚ Apple Watch's double tap feature was announced but is still in beta after a month.

🔑 Releasing half-finished games is a trend in the gaming industry that has negative consequences.

💡 Buying new tech based on the promise of future software updates is not recommended.

🔍 The speaker hopes that Google and other companies can fulfill their promises.

📱 The speaker will be testing and reviewing the new Pixel phones.