With the arrival of Google+, we continue to evaluate some of the past Google creations and acquisitions and how they have performed. Which one was good business and which one went bad. Today, we are looking at Google Wave and how it came and then got suspended.
Google Wave came out in 2008 as “e-mail 2.0”, a Facebook-ish messaging and social networking function. It was suspended in August 2010. It failed. It can be seen as a predecessor to Google+.
Google Wave is a web-based computing platform and communications protocol, designed to merge key features of media like e-mail, instant messaging, wikis, and social networking. Communications using the system can be synchronous and/or asynchronous, depending on the preference of individual users. Software extensions provide contextual spelling/grammar checking, automated translation among 40 languages, and numerous other features.
The fact is out, nothing is a slam dunk. Google can also blow it. That is why with all the buzz out of Google+, we have to wait for the dust to settle. It has to compete and win in the market as that is the only thing that matters. It is adding millions of users, how many will it retain? That is the litmus test for the hot new product from Google.
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With Zynga in Facebook and Skype going to Facebook, the war in the social media business is just starting and no winner is in view.