Google is often seen as the perfect business but they too have several products which, quite simply, have failed.
Firstly, there is Google Answers which Google shut in 2006. Google Answers was a paid question and answer service. It was much more professional and reliable than a site such as Yahoo! Answers but I guess the old ‘why pay when you can get it for free?’ ethos worked against Google!
Another thing, which in my eyes, is a failure is Orkut. Orkut is a social networking site made by a Google employee and owned by Google. Whilst Orkut is apparently very successful in Brazil and India, I expect most people in the developed world have ever even heard of it. The reason I say this is a failure is because it failed in its original target market (the US). On the other hand, Orkut does have 120,000,000 users!
Another, arguable, failure is Google Video. Google acquired YouTube and quite rightly decided to use YouTube’s brand but this was at the expense of Google Video. Google Video also revoked the DRM on purchased videos, such as Star Trek, last year meaning even if you bought them, you couldn’t play them. This service simply wasn’t popular!
That’s all I can think of!
Totally agree on Google video. Orkut, like you say, can hardly be called a failure by numbers, but true: I’ve only heard the name once or twice and that’s it.
I don’t think either FeedBurner or Android have delivered much (although the former is there and just works, and the latter may still surprise us - though: when?).
Jaiku is also just there (and perhaps it ‘works’ too) but I never see it beating the Twitter/Friendfeed tandem. I for one have hardly used it, ever.
And Google Reader is annoying me like hell recently: stupid updates and essential missing features.
Good idea for a post this. Check out today’s news about Google possibly being locked out of an impending Yahoo/MSFT/Facebook deal. Could hurt them, maybe not…
You forgot Google Talk, the IM app is terrible, people just use the Jabber protocol and the google ID to create their own experience elsewhere.
Google has faults, just like any business. They experience growing pains, they have bugs and flaws, etc. However, their shear massive volume of searches, traffic, and revenue completely negates the short comings they have. Google is a power-house that is already #1 online - companies like Microsoft needing to buy Yahoo!, etc. just to compete - that is an amazing statistic! Congrats to all who got in on the Google IPO!
And sold at the highs of course!
whatever you say, google is google… In condition that you suggest that some of they service has fault, but not in my mind.
1. Orkut ?
At least there are in top 5 position, except yahoo google is number one…
2. Google Answer ?
yeah, but technicaly its all because google love open source and want to build much free service (IMHO)
3. Google Video ?
they have still traffic, it means money right ? and i thing its all becase there “video tab” in google
nice to see you and your blogs here Mate…
regards.