Last week, I spoke in detail about Facebook Messenger and how it will soon become its own program separate from the standard Facebook mobile app. Even though I tried to shed some kind of positive light on the matter, I was overall uneasy about the change and I felt like it wouldn’t help the social media mogul in the long term. Fast forward a few days later and news came out about Google+ and how the company announced it will be doing something similar with its services.
How Concern Has Grown With Google Plus Photos
Specifically, it’s been reported that Google+ will separate its photo-sharing feature from the actual social network. Instead of it being included in Google+, it will be brought to the forefront as its own entity – not unlike Facebook Messenger – by the name of Google+ Photos. This will be done in order to attract more users. While it’s reported that it may be rebranded in the future, Google Plus Photos will still be used by those who are signed up for the network. It’s a move that should draw the attention of many an online marketing firm and understandably so.
On a positive note, I will say that Google has done the right thing in terms of keeping the service around; it’s not like the company scrapped it entirely. While I’m not entirely sure how many people utilize the photo feature, I have to imagine that there are those who believe it to be easy. It’s likely that it is able to help others get everything that they need out of Google+ without having to head over to another website.
What confuses me, though, is that social media should be rooted in the idea of accessibility. As stated earlier, I was quite hesitant when I learned about the change Facebook was making in regards to its Messenger service. To me, it didn’t make much sense because it seemed like the company was forcing users to download a separate app for a function that should have been part of the main package. This could only lead to more cluttered smartphone screens.
This is where my gripes, in regards to Google Plus Photos, are rooted. I can’t wrap my mind around why something as run-of-the-mill as photo sharing has to stand by itself. Twitter didn’t have to do that and neither did Tumblr, so the fact that Google+ made this move has led me to believe that it was a misguided decision on the part of the social network.
Unlike many others, I see the value in Google+. I like the ease of use associated with creating an account. I enjoy how easy it is to chat with others in the browser while I’m checking my email. These are strong qualities but news like this feels like Google+ has taken more steps back than it did moving forward. While it’s doubtful, I hope that Google second guesses this decision.
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What is your take on this story? Do you see the value in Google Plus Photos as its own entity or do you feel like it’s unnecessary on the part of Google as a whole? Please leave your thoughts below!
See also: 10 Most Useful Google Plus Features
