From AppSheet to YouTube and everything in between, Google provides you with nearly everything you need, whether you're just browsing the web or doing work.

But, did you know about Google's product fails? Between 2006 and 2020, the tech giant discontinued 217 products, including Weave, which lasted a grand total of four months. Meanwhile, Postini, Picasa and, Google Search Appliances, all managed to reach 17 years.

In 2021 alone, 11 more will go. In this article, we will cover some of the products that Google will discontinue this year.

Let's dive in.

1. App Maker

Google App Maker was an app development tool that allowed you to develop and deploy custom business apps on the web with minimal coding.

You could drag and drop widgets into a visual editor, as well as customize your apps using CSS, JavaScript, and HTML, among others. App Maker was a part of G Suite (now Google Workspace). It was accessible to G Suite for Education users, as well as G Suite Business and Enterprise subscribers.

Initially released on November 30, 2016, App Maker disabled new app creation on April 15, 2020. It was fully discontinued on January 19, 2021, following Google's acquisition of AppSheet.

2. Loon

Alphabet Loon

Loon was an ambitious project designed to pioneer a new era of stratospheric communications using high-altitude balloons to broaden internet access worldwide. It is similar to Microsoft's Airband initiative, which seeks to close the rural broadband gap by providing affordable high-speed internet access to underserved communities.

Powered by Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc, Loon took off as Project Loon in 2011. It morphed into a standalone entity in 2018 and crashed in January 2021. This was due in large part to its inability to turn a profit, according to Loon CEO, Alastair Westgarth.

3. Tilt Brush

Originally developed by Skillman and Hackett, Tilt Brush was initially released by Google on April 16, 2015. Tilt Brush allows you to create 3D artworks with brush strokes, fire, light, stars, and more—all within a virtual reality environment. With Unity integration, you can even export your drawings.

Unlike graffiti, Tilt Brush leaves no permanent markings. With your PlayStation VR, Oculus, Oculus Quest, Vive, Valve Index, or Windows Mixed Reality headset, you can start using Tilt Brush.

In January 2021, Google announced the end of development for Tilt Brush, officially making it an open-source project for the developer community.

4. Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard homepage

Like Tilt Brush, Cardboard is another VR tool that is now in the Google graveyard. Created by David Coz and Damien Henry, Google Cardboard was released at Google I/O 2014. With Cardboard, you can buy or build your own simple and affordable VR headset.

You typically need the viewer, Cardboard-compatible apps, and your smartphone to be able to experience VR content. Google Cardboard was designed to boost interest in VR.

Unfortunately, Cardboard is no longer a reality as the virtual reality platform was put down in March 2021. It's still available as an open-source project, but Google has stopped supporting it.

Related: Is Virtual Reality The Future of Everything?

5. Google Crisis Map

Google Crisis Response screenshot

Launched in 2013, Google Crisis Map was a part of Google's Crisis Response program, providing accurate and actionable information during a crisis.

Combining Google Search and Map functionalities, it provided authoritative situation reports, allowing you to visualize the location, spread, and impact of crisis situations in real-time.

As shown on a Google Crisis FAQ page, Google Crisis Map became unavailable as of April 2021. Notwithstanding, Google remains committed to developing its crisis response program. Recently, it added SOS Alerts and Public Alerts to provide crisis updates in different translations, including emergency phone numbers, websites, maps, among others.

Google error screen

Google Go Links, a.k.a. Google Short Links, was a URL shortener service that allowed Google Workspace subscribers to shorten URLs and customize them for their domains. Google quietly shut down this service, which was first identified in a post on GitHub.

To get shortened Go Links, users went to goto.google.com or any other internal DNS alias set up. Clicking on the shortened URL redirected users to the original URL. Google emailed Workspace subscribers to notify them of its intention to shut down the service, which became unavailable as of March 31, 2021.

There's a similar URL shortener known as GoLinks. You can use this or Rebrandly, among others, to achieve similar results.

7. Poly

Google Poly homepage

Google Poly is a platform that allows you to upload, display, host, and share your 3D assets, as well as interact with different 3D content from other users.

However, come June 30, 2021, Poly will be shut down forever, according to a Poly Help page. Google Poly, as well as its associated APIs will no longer be accessible after June. That said, this might be the time to consider using a Google Poly alternative.

Meanwhile, you can download your assets from Google Poly, or your entire library at Google Takeout. As of April 30, you can no longer upload new 3D models.

Interestingly, you will still be able to create Swirl assets, come early 2022. By then, Swirl creators will also be able to configure 3D models and build Swirl creatives using Google Web Designer.

8. Tour Creator

Google Tour Creator

With Google Tour Creator, you can create immersive 360-degree guided tours from your computer. With Tour Creator set to be discontinued on June 30, 2021, now is the time to take Tour Creator out for a spin before it's gone forever.

Templates exist that you can use to create custom tours. You can also create 360-degree street view tours of pre-loaded locations.

Tour Creator will be about three years old when Google kills it in the next few weeks.

9. Expeditions

If you wanted to take your students on a field trip, but were unable to due to COVID-19 or other factors, Expeditions allows you to fulfill that dream—until June 30, 2021, that is.

That is the date set aside by Google to pull the plug on its popular VR field trip app. Google will now fold Expeditions into its Arts and Culture app, which you can view via your web or mobile browser (rather than on Cardboard or Daydream).

Expeditions started its journey around 2015 and will be laid to rest in June after a brief, but exciting life.

10. Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts

Initially released on May 15, 2013, Google Hangouts was originally a part of Google+ before it became a standalone app. Hangouts is a cross-platform messaging app born from Google+ Messenger and Google Talk.

The app let you have one-on-one conversations with friends or create group chats with up to 100 participants. It also allowed you to embed photos, stickers, maps, emojis, and GIFs.

According to Google Graveyard, Google Hangouts' execution is scheduled for the first half of 2021. It will be only eight years old.

What Happens When a Product Reaches End of Life?

After General Availability (GA), a product reaches its End of Life (EOL). Usually, this means that the creator or developer has discontinued it. This could mean any of three things:

  • End of support
  • End of updates
  • No more replacement parts

Luckily, Google has made the software development kits (SDKs) for some discontinued products open-source, meaning that the developer community can continue to use, maintain, and improve upon them.

If you have used some of the above Google products in the past, you will agree that some will be missed. We hope that Google will shape the lessons learned from these failures into better products in the future.