Cobweb-gathering service was made irrelevant when search giant bought YouTube in 2006
Across the cyber world, video lovers are saying sad goodbyes to Google Video, which will be shut down on April 29.
Just kidding. While the plug really is being pulled on Google Video at the end of this month, no one really cares.
And why should they? Google ceased allowing users to upload videos to Google Video in May 2009, nearly two years ago. Which basically made Google Video like one of those blogs that someone eagerly starts and eventually abandons. The content is still there, but the site is floating in cyberspace like a ghost ship.
Google Video was a good idea when it launched in January 2005. But YouTube was a better idea -- or at least vastly more popular -- so Google did what all large companies do when it looks like they're losing to a smaller competitor with a popular offering in the same market: They bought it out. In November 2006, Google purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion.
Clearly that should have been the end of Google Video. After all, why compete with yourself?
But for some reason (no one noticed?), Google kept Google Video going for several years after. It made no sense then, and makes no sense now.
In an email last Friday to Google Video users (all 12 of them), the "Google Video Team" wrote:
We’ve added a Download button to the video status page, so you can download any video content you want to save.
Like anyone remembers which videos they may have uploaded to Google Video two or more years ago.
If you don’t want to download your content, you don’t need to do anything. (The Download feature will be disabled after May 13, 2011.)
Since users haven't done anything since May 2009, they are well-prepared for this step.
We encourage you to move to your content to YouTube if you haven’t done so already. YouTube offers many video hosting options including the ability to share your videos privately or in an unlisted manner.
Perhaps you've heard of YouTube, Google Video users. You should try it out!
When Google announced in October 2006 that it was acquiring YouTube, it said, "When the acquisition is complete, YouTube will retain its distinct brand identity, strengthening and complementing Google's own fast-growing video business."
Or maybe not.
