Google Reader Closing Down July 1

Google is abandoning the Google Reader platform. The search firm on Wednesday announced plans to shut down the platform on July 1.

Google says the reader platform is being shut down as part of its “Spring Cleaning” initiative. According to a rep for the company:

“We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader.Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.”

Google will abandon the platform, which has delivered multiple website posts to millions of readers around the world.

If you are unfamiliar with Google Reader, it is a web subscription platform that allows users to enter RSS (syndication) feeds into a single application. Users then log into Google Reader to find new stories from their favorite websites.

The closure of Google Readers arrives at a time when many website owners have quested Google’s continued support for RSS feed service Feedburner.

There are still plenty of RSS readers available on the open market including Netvibes, Feedburner, Feedly, Taptu, and various others.

Many users have long abandoned feeds with web 2.0 alternatives including Flipboard, Zite, and various other tools.

Google Reader was never the most beautifully developed app on the market, but it did supersede Google+, and, at one time, it was considered a much have application among computer fans.

With the advent of Google Android and iOS based smartphones and tablets, the need for a reader has declined, and Google Reader closing is a likely direct result.

Are you upset that Google is shutting down the Google Reader app?