Google to Shut Down Google Labs

Google has announced that it will shutter Google Labs, the site that it uses to test new and experimental products. Speaking via the Google Blog, Bill Coughran, Senior VP for Research and Systems Infrastructure at Google, explained that the decision would allow Google to make the most of upcoming "extraordinary opportunities".

"Last week we explained that we’re prioritizing our product efforts. As part of that process, we’ve decided to wind down Google Labs. While we’ve learned a huge amount by launching very early prototypes in Labs, we believe that greater focus is crucial if we’re to make the most of the extraordinary opportunities ahead."

Larry Page last week mentioned that Google is trying to prioritize its focus with a 'more wood behind fewer arrows' approach and referenced the shutting down of Google Health and Google PowerMeter as an example of this. However, not all Labs projects will disappear. Google says that, while it will mean the end of many Labs projects, other Labs products and technologies will be incorporated into different product areas and many of the Labs products that are Android apps will continue to be available on Android Market.

Those of you that like to tinker with new features and tools in Gmail Labs or Maps Labs shouldn't panic. Coughran updated his post several hours later to say that the decision won't change in-product experimentation channels.

"To clarify: we don't have any plans to change in-product experimentation channels like Gmail Labs or Maps Labs. We'll continue to experiment with new features in each of our products."

Keep on eye on the Google Labs website for more information.

  • burnley14
    Aww, this sucks. I love being able to try new things in Labs.

    And it seems hard to believe that the unstoppable giant known as Google even needs to worry about resource allocation.
    Reply
  • Jung
    Why is Tom's news always like three days late?
    Reply
  • "Why is Tom's news always like three days late?"

    Because they just get their information from other websites and post it as their own.
    Reply
  • danimal_the_animal
    Its just a domain name that cost 8.99 a year from godaddy.....and just a url pointing to a folder on a server that contains the website.

    Nothing special at all.....guess they want to save 9 bucks a year...

    I run my own web server from home so i know it cost nothing but electricity to run......

    DUMB! Don't know how peeps turn this into something bigger that what it REALLY is!
    Reply
  • drwho1
    I never even heard of "google labs".
    so how is it that this is newsworthy?
    Reply
  • @drwho1

    what the hell are you doing on tomshardware, you do realize gmail came directly from google labs, what the bloody hell has happened to the demographics of this website, it was once a forum where tech heads came to discuss, vent, flame and otherwise interact with each other, even the damn trolls had a mediocre of tech knowledge....

    this is up there with the comment a while back when someone said he didn't even know what a tegra was let alone that they are releasing a tegra 2 and requested a link for further explanation

    i need to find a new place to source my tech fix
    Reply
  • lufen
    drwho1I never even heard of "google labs".so how is it that this is newsworthy?Who are you and why are you the ultimate judge of newsworthyness?
    Reply
  • mayne92
    danimal_the_animalIts just a domain name that cost 8.99 a year from godaddy.....and just a url pointing to a folder on a server that contains the website.Nothing special at all.....guess they want to save 9 bucks a year...I run my own web server from home so i know it cost nothing but electricity to run......DUMB! Don't know how peeps turn this into something bigger that what it REALLY is!LMAO! You have no idea what it takes to run a web server on a larger scale then from a home desktop computer with nothing but traffic from yourself and scanners. You are like a bird that raises its feathers to look and act tough but really is still about to get eaten for dinner...
    Reply
  • alidan
    nowImRanting@drwho1what the hell are you doing on tomshardware, you do realize gmail came directly from google labs, what the bloody hell has happened to the demographics of this website, it was once a forum where tech heads came to discuss, vent, flame and otherwise interact with each other, even the damn trolls had a mediocre of tech knowledge....this is up there with the comment a while back when someone said he didn't even know what a tegra was let alone that they are releasing a tegra 2 and requested a link for further explanationi need to find a new place to source my tech fix
    ok, i had to wiki it finally. because i always though tegra was just a gpu, i never kept up with smartphone crap because i don't care about it.

    tegra is kind of like amd fusion for smartphones... am i correct with that over simplification?

    Reply
  • cookoy
    more R&D under the veil of secrecy now?
    Reply