Google Shutting Down Google+Photos In August

Google announced on their blog, that they’re shutting down Google+Photos on August 1. It has been made clear by the company that this is an effort to make a smooth transition over to the app’s simpler successor: Google Photos. Users will have the option to port their photos over using a specific download link from Google+Photos. But, rest assured, you won’t have to worry about losing those special moments.

Now, Google has stated that Android users are going to be the first to see Google+Photos removed. Then it’ll trickle down to iOS and finally, Web users.

But why remove it? TechCrunch has a theory. They believe that, “For most, the existence of the standalone Google Photos makes Google+ Photos redundant, and perhaps a bit confusing.” Interesting, considering that all Google did was remove the +and added a couple of new features including: unlimited storage, quick photo identification, and you can export all of your photos with just one click.

Putting that aside, let’s take a look at the history of Google Photos. It was launched back in May and apparently, it’s popular enough to replace Google+Photos.

However, several of the users are speculating the future of Google Photos. On the Engadget site, user liamdevlin noted that, “After a couple years, Google Photos will be retired to make way for…Google Pix.  And everyone will have to copy their stuff to Pix.” And it would seem like that the cycle would repeat itself when the Pix is replaced by something better (after all, Picasa was replaced).

Others were wondering when Google+ would finally die out.

It’ll be intriguing to see the direction that Google has planned for Google Photos (and what they’re going to replace it with in the near future). It’ll be some time, but TGC will keep you covered if anything new pops up about the transition. What are your thoughts on this? Any Googe+Photo users here? Let me know in the comments below.