Maximizing profits (and innovation) over time may mean closing something profitable now, and focusing on new potential profits. Thats great.
That isn't a Google problem. That's our opportunity. I can't think of a single company known for riding Google's coat tails. Why aren't people responding to the enormous wealth of Google by emulating them? We don't have to be beholden to a few huge tech companies there is space for so many more players.
I try to see things I can do when other people tell me a story about who is to blame for something. It's all a matter of framing.
Why didn't something pop up and eat up the success left in the wake of a market Google left, like reader or inbox or wave?
I'm more than happy to wait for years if I have to in case something develops accidental mass market traction in which case Google will likely support it long term.
I wonder if Google realizes how much this works against them, without 'early adopters' you don't have much chance of success, even at Google's scale. Burn your early adopters often enough and you'll end up with unused new services.
I agree it sucks when support ends but I enjoy it checking it out while it exists.
There are alternatives, of course, but the burden is on me to migrate. When I'm forced to keep migrating away from Google products, I find it less and less appealing to continue using more of their products.
I am rather curious about Stradia's longevity.
I know this is a caricature but it's how I get my kicks.
To wit, the conditions that the engineers inhabit in their lives has basically zero resemblance with the technology experience of the vast majority of people. Designing websites for 4K screens only, expecting <20ms latency over home lines when everyone else in the house is streaming video to their own personal devices, etc. One thing we can do collectively as an industry is put in place guidelines which steer development to minimalism and attention to the resources available to the median user.
If you're more of a hardcore player, you may feel the extra latency as all your reflexes being off. It's harder to make jumps, perform combos, line up shots, etc.
In my case, I absolutely can't stand network streaming latency. Even 50ms is completely unacceptable to me outside of turn-based games, and I go out of my way to look into the input lag for any new monitor or TV I buy. BUT you might be different, you should give it a shot.
Ha-ha, I wish I could switch over from Comcast.
In many places in the US people already have the best internet that can be provided to their home, and it's not good enough.
I would switch my internet provider for literally anything.
The problem is I live in the country's main technological hub (the bay area), and I fucking can't. It's infuriating.
The world would have a lot less great products if this is how it was always done.
This is why startups continue to be the primary innovation source. They are willing to go through the hard grind to find product/market fit over multiple years.
Most of the products purchased by the big guys are at least 5-7yrs old (WhatsApp, YouTube, Waze, Looker, etc). There are some rare exceptions like Instagram and Android which were both 2yrs old at acquisition.
They just aren't staying around to collect the (relative to Google) meager profits. I wish more companies knew when to call it quits.