Google+ future uncertain as Vic Gundotra departs Google
Posted by: Jon Ben-Mayor on 04/25/2014 12:31 PM
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The main force behind the development and implementation of Google+ announced that he is leaving the company; Vic Gundotra, ironically made no mention of his departure on his Google+ account, but sources confirm that he is indeed leaving. This raises some questions regarding the future of the Google+ product.
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According to TechCrunch, multiple sources indicate that Google+ will no longer be considered a product, but a platform — essentially ending its competition with other social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
A Google representative has vehemently denied these claims. “Today’s news has no impact on our Google+ strategy — we have an incredibly talented team that will continue to build great user experiences across Google+, Hangouts and Photos.”
Gundotra joined Google in June 2007, one year after leaving his General Manager position at Microsoft, due to a non-compete agreement that was in place.
His responsibilities as Vice-President of Social included Google's social networking and identity service, Google+. He is widely believed to be the man behind Google+, and was responsible for the controversial removal of social features from Google Reader. Apart from Google+, he is widely credited for his contributions to Google Maps and Google I/O.
The Business Insider article points out that Gundotra reportedly clashed with others inside the company, particularly around this idea of "forced" Google+ integrations into products like YouTube and Gmail.
The changes aren't particularly surprising, given Google+ is a standalone social media site didn't reach the level of popularity like Facebook.
According to TechCrunch, multiple sources indicate that Google+ will no longer be considered a product, but a platform — essentially ending its competition with other social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
A Google representative has vehemently denied these claims. “Today’s news has no impact on our Google+ strategy — we have an incredibly talented team that will continue to build great user experiences across Google+, Hangouts and Photos.”
Gundotra joined Google in June 2007, one year after leaving his General Manager position at Microsoft, due to a non-compete agreement that was in place.
His responsibilities as Vice-President of Social included Google's social networking and identity service, Google+. He is widely believed to be the man behind Google+, and was responsible for the controversial removal of social features from Google Reader. Apart from Google+, he is widely credited for his contributions to Google Maps and Google I/O.
The Business Insider article points out that Gundotra reportedly clashed with others inside the company, particularly around this idea of "forced" Google+ integrations into products like YouTube and Gmail.
The changes aren't particularly surprising, given Google+ is a standalone social media site didn't reach the level of popularity like Facebook.
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