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Google is killing Bookmarks — and explains why you shouldn't panic
Not your Chrome bookmarks, something older and less-used, and it won't affect your starred locations in Google Maps (which makes sense once you read)
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Google is killing its now-ancient and practically unknown Google Bookmarks service. It's niche, but Google Bookmarks actually dates back to 2005 and let you save a URL together with a name, label, and notes to the big, scary, 2005-era cloud. In fact, Bookmarks may even have some more recent data from you whether you've even used it or not, as it seems to pull some info for starred locations from Google Maps. But, as the header at the service's site states, Google Bookmarks will "no longer be supported" after September 30th, 2021, and the company confirms to us that your starred locations in Maps won't be affected.
Google's AR plans have changed over the years, from the standalone Project Tango to modern web-based efforts. But it's the AR-based Measure app that's the subject of today's eulogy. The app leveraged your camera on ARCore-supported devices to (as the name suggests) measure the dimensions of stuff, and now it's being retired. Google has suspended both support and updates for Measure.
Google's habit of killing its products is a meme by this point. Many of them were short-lived, but the company has been known to throw out widely used and much-loved services years after they debut and have accrued a significant following. While most of us probably didn't even realize there was a Google Shopping app when news of its demise landed last week, the Google graveyard is massive, and I bet there's at least one app or service you miss.
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Google is relentless in putting all but its most successful ventures out to pasture — it's one of our least favorite things about the company. Only a week has passed since the imminent removal of its Wifi app was scheduled for June, and already, Google is back for more. This time, the search giant has set its sights on Google Shopping, as the company plans to shut down its dedicated mobile app within the next few weeks.
Google is killing Shoelace, a hyperlocal social networking app the company spun up just last summer from its Area 120 experimental products division. Most folks never got to use it, since it was an NYC-exclusive and, at least at one point, invite-only. Shoelaces formal death is set for May 12th.
Today Google has announced that it's killing its One Today service. This isn't the renamed Google Drive paid storage program, but an app-based donation system you've probably never heard of, haven't used, and won't miss. Those still using it have a week before it shuts down.