We will enter the year 2025 in a few days. It is that time of the year when we get to see tech recaps of various products and services. So far, we have seen recaps from services, including YouTube Music, YouTube on TV, Spotify Wrapped, Apple Music Replay, and Google Photos.
You can also check out the top tech controversies of 2024 and what features Microsoft removed from Windows 10 and Windows 11 this year.
Google, being one of the major technology giants out there, has offered a lot throughout the year. While it launched new Gemini features for different products, it pulled the plug on others. Let's recap various products and services Google killed in 2024.
Chromecast (hardware)
2024 marks the end of Google's popular line of streaming dongles, Chromecast. The first Chromecast device came out in 2013 for $35, with the power to convert virtually any TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV.
A unique selling point of the Chromecast dongle was it allowed users to stream content without the hassle of installing and updating apps. It relied on a proprietary technology called Google Cast (which continues to exist) that allowed smartphone apps to display content on the big screen.
A cast button in compatible apps, such as YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, and others, allows them to connect to the big screen. The search giant has replaced Chromecast hardware with a new set-top box called Google TV Streamer.
Google Jamboard
Jamboard was a giant "collaborative, digital whiteboard" Google introduced in 2017 to rival Microsoft's Surface Hub. It had a 55-inch touchscreen display with support for 4K resolution, priced at $4,999 at the time (extra $1,199 for the stand). It was a collaborative device that ran a specialized version of Android and relied on Google G Suite apps.
The touchscreen device, weighing about 50 Kg, included a webcam, speakers, microphone, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, Type-C, HDMI, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and NFC. Google announced that Jamboard will stop getting automatic updates after September 30 and that the app will go out of service on December 31, 2024.
Google Podcasts
Google Podcasts began its journey in 2018 as a standalone app for Android. It was another attempt at reviving podcasts years after the demise of Google Listen and podcast support in the Google Play Music app.
Fast forward to 2023, the search giant realized users prefer YouTube over Google Podcasts. Hence, it decided to pull the plug on its app again and bring podcasting features to YouTube Music to make it the new "centralized podcast destination."
Users were denied access to the service in April this year and were offered tools to migrate their podcast subscriptions to YouTube Music. Those wanting to switch to a different podcast app could download an OPML file to migrate their data.
Original Pixel Fold, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
2024 was also the year when Google discontinued the original Pixel Fold smartphone, along with the Pixel 7 and Pixel Pro. It wasn't seen as a surprising move because Google launched the Pixel 9 Pro Fold to fill the void.
Google's first foldable packed 7.6-inch 2208x1840p 120Hz OLED display as primary, Tensor G2 SoC, 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, up to 512GB UFS 3.1 storage, and a total of five cameras, among various features. The device will continue to receive five years of OS and security updates from the date it became available in the US.
Stack (PDF Scanner)
Google once had a PDF scanner app called Stack. It allowed users to turn documents into PDF files and keep things organized by putting the PDF files in categories called "stacks." The app could identify important information from documents, such as a bill's due date.
Launched in 2021, Stack was an experimental offering from Google's in-house incubator Area 120 and its DocAI team. The company announced in June this year that it will discontinue Stack and pull support for the legacy PDF scanner from the fourth week of September.
Play Movies & TV
Google Play Movies & TV was discontinued earlier this year to streamline the company's video content services and consolidate them into YouTube and Google TV. As of January 2024, Google is finally done and dusted with the service. Buying or renting titles through Google Play Movies & TV on Android TV or the Google Play website is not possible anymore.
It took a couple of years for Google to wrap up the service. The search giant previously removed Movies & TV from the Google Play app and migrated Android/iOS users to the Google TV app, where they can rent, buy, and stream movies and TV shows.
Gmail Basic HTML View
Google discontinued the Basic HTML View for Gmail earlier this year, automatically switching users to the Standard View. The feature that had existed for years was designed to offer backward compatibility when using legacy web browsers or slower connections.
Compared to Standard View, Basic HTML View lacked features such as rich formatting, chat support, contact import, and, lately, Gemini integration. However, it served as an accessibility feature for screen reader users; Google published some support documents to help with the transition.
VPN by Google One
VPN by Google One got tanked this year on June 20, 2024. The service offered as part of Google One subscriptions since 2020 was designed to provide "an extra layer of online protection for your Android phone" by masking its IP address and encrypting traffic.
One of the reasons behind the early demise of the service was the lack of enough traction. A Google spokesperson said at the time that their team "found people simply weren't using it." The company will continue offering the built VPN in Pixel 7 later devices and via Google Fi Wireless.
Keen
Keen was another experimental project from Area 120 meant to rival Pinterest. The platform allowed users to create collections (called "keens") of online content based on their interests and share them. Google shut down Keen (via Killed by Google) on March 24, 2024, and deleted all the data, including posts, uploads, links, follows, and comments.
Dropcam
The year 2024 also ended the Dropcam line of Wi-Fi security cameras. Following rumors, Google acquired its parent company, Dropcam Inc., in 2014 and announced Nest Cam as the successor to the Dropcam Pro camera a year later.
Google dropped support for Dropcam and Dropcam Pro cameras on April 8, 2024, barring their users from using the Nest app to check the status of the cameras, view live streams, get notifications, or change settings.
If you think this list misses something, please drop your thoughts in the comments.