Google Reader, 7 other products to be shut down soon

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Google Reader, which launched on October 7, 2005, through Google Labs, will be shut down on July 1 this year. Google Reader is a content application and platform that is an aggregator of content served by web feeds.

Google Reader grew in popularity to support a number of apps, which use it as a platform for serving news and information to people. It was created in 2005 by Google engineer Chris Wetherell. However, Google now says that the usage of this product has declined.

''While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months,'' says Urs Hölzle, SVP Technical Infrastructure and Google Fellow, in a blog-post.

Some of the other products that are being shut down are GUI Builder and five UiApp widgets, CalDAV API, Google Building Maker, Google Cloud Connect, Google Voice App for Blackberry, API for Shopping, and updates for Snapseed Desktop for Macintosh and Windows.