CheckMag | Google's Graveyard: 4 Google offerings cut down in their prime

Google Podcasts

Having been available for over six years, Google Podcasts acquired an extensive user base, which made the news of its imminent demise in April 2024 much more heartbreaking. Google gave the reason that they wanted to invest more into podcasts by stitching podcast features into YouTube Music. The result has been a convoluted mess of hard-to-find features in an app facing an identity crisis. Fortunately, for those who have stuck around as YouTube Music sorted itself out, podcasts have become easier to find and enjoy.

Google Cloud Print

Printers are a nightmare, but Google helped ease the pain of networking the device by providing convenient cloud printing services. The service was widely utilized by individuals and businesses alike, and Google left many users hanging when it shut down in 2020. The decision was largely due to the advancements in Chrome OS printing. However, for those who built GCP into their workflows, Google helpfully recommends that "you find an alternative print solution and migrate your print services."

Chromecast Audio

It may be unintentional, but Google, to its detriment, often pushes users to find alternatives to their products outside its offerings whenever they decide to kill a product. Such is the case with the Google Chromecast Audio. Not only did Chromecast Audio develop a cult following, but users also faced the salt on the wound of having no suitable alternative. Sure, there are DIY solutions and expensive devices that can stream audio with the same high quality. Still, the Chromecast Audio delivered high-fidelity audio on a budget. Technically, they are still available from private sellers but are often sold at a hefty markup.

Google OnHub

In another move to homogenize its hardware offerings, Google killed off its first attempt at premium routers, the Asus and TP-Link OnHub. Undoubtedly, the OnHub routers paved the way for Google's user-friendly Nest WiFi offerings. Unfortunately, it came at the expense of bricking home mesh networks and removing unique features found exclusively on the OnHub. The best example is boosting the network speed for a singular device on your network. Fortunately, not all is lost, and users that have one of these OnHub routers gathering dust can raise it from the dead by flashing the custom firmware OpenWRT onto the device.

The number of canned Google services is sure to continue growing, and one can only hope that their favorite service isn't next. For more discontinued Google offerings, have a look at our first visit to the Google Graveyard.