Google will stop supporting connected screens from its partners. Google’s policy regarding its products and services appears once again to leave major market players and consumers in limbo.
Do you know the “Google graveyard”? It is filled with many products and services that have been discontinued by Google over the years. The strategy ” test and learn from Google leads to a long list of missing projects. These include Google Clips, Stadia, Inbox by Gmail, YouTube Gaming, Google Trips, Google Allo, Google Plus, Google Goggles, Google Talk, Chromebook Pixel, Project Ara, Picasa, MyTracks, the Google Nexus range, Google Latitude and Nexus Q, to name a few.
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This time, it is the connected screens equipped with Google Assistant that find themselves in Google’s line of sight, the so-called SmartDisplay. Third-party voice assistants developed by renowned brands such as Lenovo, LG or JBL. These devices are on the verge of becoming obsolete, like Facebook’s a few months ago.
One might think that the presence of a giant such as Google would guarantee the durability of a product or service, but the reality is often quite different. As we saw in the introduction, Google has a long history of abandoning projects, even those that seemed promising or popular. This approach can sometimes sow doubt among consumers and partners.
Google stops supporting partner screens
The connected screens in question will no longer receive support from Google, which means not only the absence of future software updates, but also the possibility that certain essential services will stop working. It is therefore essential to resist the temptation of enticing promotions concerning them, as investing in these devices could prove unwise in the long term, given the uncertainty about their functionality and support.
This decision seems all the more surprising since Google plans to launch a new Pixel tablet which will also serve as a connected screen. The company surely wants to focus its efforts on its own products and limit competition with third-party connected screens. Still, it raises questions about Google’s strategy and how partnerships and users are affected by such decisions.
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