If the Google Shopping app is your preferred domain for online purchasing, binge or otherwise, you may want to use it while you still can. Support for the app on iOS and Android devices is being dropped, and the clients will stop working all together after June.
The app wasn’t all that different to others of its kind, but was unique enough to stand on its own. Thousands of online stores could be accessed through the app, all conveniently categorised and presented to you to purchase from using your Google account. The same experience is offered on the browser version of Shopping, in a tab similar to Images, Videos, Earth, etc.
9to5Google reports that users are already beginning to meet a “Something went wrong” screen when trying to access the Shopping app. A spokesperson told the site, “Within the next few weeks, we’ll no longer be supporting the Shopping app. All of the functionality the app offered users is available on the Shopping tab.”
Google Shopping joins the pile of broken toys
Which points towards a pretty solid reason for the app’s end. The Shopping tab on browser does exactly what the app does, and so the app isn’t really necessary. Most people will plug their product into a search first anyway, and switching to the Shopping tab afterwards is quicker and more convenient than opening up an app.
It appears the search engine giant wants to devote attention and resources to the Shopping tab anyway, with the spokesperson going on to say, “We’ll continue building features within the Shopping tab and other Google surfaces, including the Google app, that make it easy for people to discover and shop for the products they love.”
While it isn’t a massive loss, it’s still worth pouring one out for the Shopping app. Another one of Google’s apps that has, unfortunately, met its end.
