If you’re one of those who hates Google+ or wondered why it
makes things needlessly so complicated, there is good news. Users won’t need to
log into other Google services anymore, thanks to Google’s decision to
streamline Google+ and unlink it from other Google services. This however, does
not mean that Google+ will be shutting down, contrary to what most people have
misconstrued. In a blog post, Google also said that the entire experience will
be more focussed, which will send ripple effects down through YouTube as well.
These details came through a blog post by Bradley Horowitz, VP of Streams,
Photos, and Sharing, Google.
The post further mentioned that Google feels that Google+ is
quickly becoming a place where people engage around their shared interests,
with the content and people who inspire them. In line with that focus, Google
is continuing to add new features like Google+ Collections, where users can
share and enjoy posts organised by the topics they care about.
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According to Google, in narrowing Plus’ focus, Google will
“move some features that aren’t essential to an interest-based social
experience out of Google+”. That’s apparently why Google decoupled Photos from
Plus, and says location sharing will be moved into Hangouts at some point.
So in the coming months, a Google Account will be all you’ll
need to share content, communicate with contacts, create a YouTube channel and
more, all across Google. It is also important to note that these changes will
roll out in stages over several months and will not happen overnight. One of
the most significant changes that users will experience post the change is that
YouTube comments will no longer tie-in to Google+, and vice versa. This comes
as great news for all those users who liked the comments’ section back to the
way it was before Google+ was forced on everyone. Google has also promised
those who have their YouTube and Google+ accounts linked that they will be able
to unbind them soon.
Café spoke to a few netizens from Goa and asked them about
what they feel about the change:
“The reason why things didn’t work is because Google+
refused to listen to what its users had been telling them, despite the
so-called feedback policy. Now they are at it again, changing and destroying
working parts of Google+, continuing the policy of ignorance towards its
users.”
Neerja Kulkarni, Ponda
“Photos has gone and Locations is going. There’s little
reason left to stay with Google+ other than Google Groups style interest
groups. It will be interesting to see if it will go the way of Buzz or Orkut?
Or will it be hanged with a loose knot, slowly being drained of its lifeblood
but never actually dying?”
Akhil Narvekar, Mapusa
