The well-known search engine company Google is known not only for its main product on the web, but also for developing Android and its numerous free services such as Google Maps, Google Drive, Waze and YouTube. Also because Keep filling your graveyard: Google Glass died in 2023 and 2024 doesn’t look very promising.

The first to die is Google Podcast, the official application of the American company with which we can listen to episodes of our favorite podcasts. This reveals something quite clear in the American company’s strategy: won’t be the last to fall.

A unique opportunity to create synergy between services

Google’s podcast service is dead. Actually, it’s nothing new, the announcement of his retirement came last fall. But it’s a sad news From the official Android app or web version available on Play Store for all users who use it.

To be honest, we can say that he didn’t propose. there is nothing different beyond a consistent interface with the rest of the services and the operating system. There are a thousand and one applications to manage podcast subscriptions, but the point is that you are missing a great opportunity to promote it along with other platforms.

It is worth noting that the tech giant’s intention is to transfer podcasts to YouTube Music, which, by the way, is already in Spain. But, both services can coexist simultaneouslyMoreover: they would get along in the best possible way. As The Verge points out, Google could find a way to connect its services together.

For example, when we discover a new podcast in a YouTube Shorts or a regular clip, I can add a button that will take us to Podcasts where we can listen to the entire episode. Or that transcripts of podcasts can be Googled to find the exact moment of audio.

Finally, it’s about create synergy which develops your own services and allows you to earn money from them, which is the main goal of the Internet giant. But he took a completely different path: scrapping Podcasts so that YouTube Music could pick up the baton and continue the adventure. Not for nothing, advertising on YouTube and the music section is more interesting for Google.

Let’s be frank, they don’t care much about this change. Of course, this has repercussions on the other side (for users): YouTube and YouTube Music are not entirely valid alternatives. Because? Not everyone pays for the Premium modality, so they are deprived of the ability to listen to their favorite podcasts. screen off. Either that or we change the practice so there’s no drama.

You don’t care: we have alternatives

If you used Google Podcasts, This is not the end of the world. Both creators and consumers have many alternatives in the market that offer a sustainable ad revenue system. That’s the way Google wanted it and it will be that way.

We go one step further and wonder if YouTube Music will continue to exist in a few years, and what will happen to podcasts in such a case? It wouldn’t be unreasonable for the American company to ditch another of its less popular services.

As we just said: there they are alternatives Like Pocket Casts, Podcast Go or iVoox. Not forgetting Spotify (with a strong podcast presence) and even Apple Podcasts, although the latter is not on our favorite operating system. As Google Podcasts users, we ask ourselves this question: Should we switch to YouTube Music? Strategy service killer Google’s optimism does not invite.

Not a very serious strategy for Google

The last grave in the Google cemetery It’s just an anecdote It has become quite common to see various services of this company go down after a few years. In specialized media, they are called the “Google cycle”, which consists in stylishly launching a new service, updating it with interesting additions, losing interest and launching an alternative from somewhere else.

Obviously the last step is to consider it dead, as with Podcasts. But the array of embedded applications and services continues to expand: Inbox, Duo, Stadia… and others that have sunk into oblivion before they disappear, like Snapseed.

It is not a strategy that grows the search engine’s company away from it. If inbound services didn’t generate interest, the Google graveyard would be even more overlooked because the products lack success, but the image remains the place where Google abandons projects it fails. can’t protect broken.

There is an example where many messaging apps like Hangouts or virtual and augmented reality platforms are in competition with each other. Not to mention Stadia, the promise of cloud gaming. Maybe the term instability It’s what best describes emotions, and Google has shown that it can’t finish what it starts.

Cover image | Microsoft Designer Image Creator (edited)

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