Yesterday Google announced that it would stop doing Google Labs. Not for the first time since Larry Page took over as CEO, one can see the impact the changes at Googles top will have.
(…) 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.
For shareholders, this will be music to the ears. Google will focus more on doing what is right for them. Earning money. For geeks, this is a sad thing to hear.
I doubt whether this is a good choice in the long run. With the launch of plus, Google has shown they are capable of not only launching a social network but being social too. With employees reaching out to the audience and helping them to get to know the product.
With Labs, they could have had active feedback for all of their products. Labs had the potential to inspire and make geeks feel part of the company and its products.