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I monitor complaints by Google users each day and I've never seen this many complaints about a Google decision before it was actually implemented until now.
On Tuesday, right before people went home for the July 4th holiday, Google announced they are shutting down a few services and products. One of those products is iGoogle.
iGoogle will be shutting down in 16 months, on November 1, 2013. Why? Google said "the need for iGoogle has eroded over time" with all the new apps for Chrome and Mobile Apps. Users disagree, but Google sees the future as apps and not iGoogle.
The Google Web Search Help forum is littered with complaints of iGoogle. Google is doing their best to consolidate all the posts into one Google Web Search Help thread but the forum is jammed pack with iGoogle complaints.
Keep in mind, this isn't happen for 16 months! We have a long time. I've never seen this many complaints about Google shutting a service before they shut it.
I wonder if Google will reconsider because the complaints are just out of hand and beyond my expectations.
Here is a screen shot of some of the complaints, maybe 2% of them:
Forum discussion at Google Web Search Help & WebmasterWorld.
Comments:
Roger Dooley
07/05/2012 12:20 pm
Google must be working to tighten their focus and cut costs. I don't use iGoogle, but I was an active user of their PostRank widget when they killed it. It was an awesome little tool that ranked a blog's posts using social metrics. It really worked to highlight the best content of the last few months, with zero effort by the site owner. I can see Google's need to keep the number of non-revenue products to support under control, though.
Colin
07/05/2012 12:32 pm
iGoogle is useful, have had it as my homepage for ages.
Rajat Gaur
07/05/2012 12:33 pm
Google says iGoogle has become obsolete, but there still are many productivity freaks like me who don’t want to bother to open a new tab for every single thing they want to know about, rather they just want to get a glimpse of everything, they deem as important, everytime they open a new browser window; and iGoogle does that flawlessly. Tell me, what doesn’t iGoogle have ? From Top Stories and Weather Forecasts to Twitter Feeds, iGoogle informs you about everything. Now that Google has announced to retard iGoolge, its very obvious that those who have got addicted to the iGoogle experience will look for an alternative. One obvious alternative that comes to my mind is My Yahoo! . Although it doesn’t have as many personalisation options as iGoogle , but after the retardation of iGoogle it will perhaps be the best option available. Netvibes is however another alternative, but it doesn’t seem to be quite impressive and is a bit too complicated. So one may expect that the loyal fans of the concept of an iGoogle like homepage might migrate to My Yahoo!. If that happens, other Yahoo! services like Yahoo! Mail and Messenger are also likely get some impetus. But still Google doesn’t have much to be worried about as since 2000 Google has moved far ahead from Yahoo!, and that’s perhaps the reason why Google has so blatantly decided to do away with the iGoogle.
T E Moore
07/05/2012 12:42 pm
I tried to pursue Google's recommendation to switch to Google Play without success. As far as I can tell, it is not possible to install a widget into Google Play and use it on a computer. Everything seems pointed to Android Apps. Google should have in place an alternative site aggregator mechanism attractive enough to move users off iGoogle BEFORE it terminates iGoogle.
Etienne Dupuis
07/05/2012 01:06 pm
It's a good thing. Stay focused Google, get rid of useless stuff! :)
Andrew Nevelos
07/05/2012 01:22 pm
I'm VERY bummed to see this going away. I have 10 pages that range from SEO articles to Webmaster Tools info and use it EVERY day.
Aaron Moster
07/05/2012 01:42 pm
Everybody join me in this Facebook Page to fight against this horrible decision! http://www.facebook.com/DontKilliGoogle
Aaron Moster
07/05/2012 01:45 pm
http://www.facebook.com/DontKilliGoogle
Jon LeJeune
07/05/2012 01:51 pm
Completely agree.
jg
07/05/2012 01:57 pm
I use it daily and will not be happy with what appears to be a forced move to a much less customization and more sharing too much to get what I want in return. I have use this and will miss it. Maybe moving to Duck Duck Go for search and moving back to my old browser bookmarks is a better way to go without having to share every damn thing with Google. Gee maybe buying facebook is a good idea.
KConway
07/05/2012 02:01 pm
bad move google...leave well enough alone already.
sanchinron
07/05/2012 02:07 pm
seems a poor business decision sure to erode some google presence since many laptop and home pc users use this often . why would google want to redirect users to other platforms. surely someone else will step in with a similar product - maybe one that is independent of google - hey wait a minute , thats what weve been waiting for. thanks google.
T
07/05/2012 02:24 pm
Google's reasoning on "WHY" still makes NO sense... This IS a bad move for them. They have a little over a year to change their mind. Please change your mind!!!
Keith Stone
07/05/2012 02:24 pm
I spent the better part of last night converting my home page from iGoogle to NetVibes. I'd say I'm now 90% there. It's a pretty comparable service.
Pete Mitchell
07/05/2012 02:30 pm
looks like i'll be making yahoo my homepage.piss off google!
Fedor
07/05/2012 02:48 pm
I always saw iGoogle as a data mining tool for Google so I've never used it. From launch it looked like all they wanted is to collect user data and I guess they've collected enough or have created other ways to get the data. I expect any company which requires a login is indeed collecting user data, many collect it even if you're not logged in, Google is one of those companies. If you login while on any Google properties you're providing them with validated information. You'd think companies like Google would pay you for all the data you provide them.
Dan Alderson
07/05/2012 03:08 pm
iGoogle, compared to Wave and Buzz has been a fantastic success for Google and it's clear to see from reading the comments to this post. We all have our use for it, it's many of our home pages because it allows us to see lots of information from different sources at once. The apps are ok, and yes you can build an app page so everything you want to access is a click away but we can't see it or preview first. I'm going to miss iGoogle, not sure what I'll replace it with yet.
spartan
07/05/2012 03:19 pm
same here!!! I don't like Netvibes its way too slow, and any other start page just doesn't have the same feel. PLEASE keep igoogle.com!!!!
Milania
07/05/2012 03:47 pm
While they are king of collecting personal information, it's very difficult to get a 'why are you doing this' out of Google.
Benoit Scherrer
07/05/2012 06:10 pm
Don t kill iGoogle please! There is a facebook group http://www.facebook.com/groups/415646821811603 and two petitions too http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/dont-kill-the-igoogle-webportal.html http://www.change.org/petitions/google-don-t-kill-igoogle :)
alfreeland
07/05/2012 09:27 pm
Useless to whom?
Ronald Waugh
07/06/2012 12:22 am
Screw 'em... I moved from MyYahoo to iGoogle to try to integrate all my various Google services... and I never understood why Google didn't post any ads there...but today I recreated a better Homepage with Netvibes... so long iGoogle, so long opportunity for Google to make any ad revenue from me there!
Stephen Scott
07/06/2012 01:18 am
iGoogle was created to kill off the personalised Yahoo page, and as it was a major improvement over its competitor, I jumped on board. The best part of iGoogle is the ability to have a home page of bookmarks and other personalised settings that can be accessed from any browser on any computer, anywhere in the world. Integrating its features into Chrome will not replicate the principle advantage that iGoogle currently presents. Would including Google Ads on iGoogle present the revenue stream required to keep this service in operation?
Alan
07/06/2012 05:47 am
Google once again showing that they are the Microsoft of the 21st century. MS would buld something just to kill the company that innovated the concept in the first place. Google now does that a lot more than MS. This is just another example. Google seems to think it is invincible. With the moves it has been making lately it is annoying almost every facet of society. One day even Google may just find it has pissed people off so much that the people go elsewhere.
Veron
07/06/2012 07:35 am
Chatting from within iGoogle is one very overlooked feature. Who wants to install Google Talk these days? Did I say Netvibes is blocked at work? :D
Erling Mortensen
07/06/2012 09:54 am
I also have converted my iGoogle page to Netvibes. I have my mail, Facebook and my news sources. Unfortunately I have to get my weather information from a different source.
newyorker_1
07/06/2012 12:22 pm
what's the point? G Play will be cancelled sooner rather than later.
ejblank
07/06/2012 01:05 pm
Please dont' shutdown my iGoogle. I'll be lost without it. Yahoo sucks and I haven't found another website that I could customize like this. I've been using iGoogle since it launched and now you want to take it from me? I'm liable to snap and go anti google if this comes to fruition.
JIm
07/06/2012 01:37 pm
Noone gives a shit about igoogle....stop making things up
gunntherd
07/06/2012 03:10 pm
You can try yowindow.com that's where i got my local weather widget from and it works nice on my new protopage home page.
User
07/06/2012 03:36 pm
I'm sick of Google forcing me to change to what they want. This Igoogle shutdown is just to force is to go to Chrome. Just like shutting down the Google maps comments and forcing Google+. Google is a search engine to me. It is my email. It is a search engine with a home page customized by me. Thats it. No more, no less...ever. I will not google+ ever. I dont facebook, or twitter. I work and use firefox, adobe, CAD, word, have many many windows and tabs open, over a dozen or more sometimes as I search multiple products but I ALWAYS HAVE MY IGOOGLE PAGE and GMAIL PAGE tab open. How will I see all the news clips, readers clips, email, clocks of the diff times zones I work over, currency exchange rates, weather forecast for cities we have offices in, all in one tab??????????????TELL ME GOOGLE HOW>?
User
07/06/2012 03:43 pm
WOW!!!! My Yahoo can serve as replacement. Its not as nice but its prob gonna stay much longer!!! sweet Thanks., Bye IGoogle, hello My Yahoo
cowpants
07/06/2012 03:54 pm
I'm sick of Google forcing me to change to what they want. This Igoogle shutdown is just to force is to go to Chrome. Just like shutting down the Google maps comments and forcing Google+. Google is a search engine to me. It is my email. It is a search engine with a home page customized by me. Thats it. No more, no less...ever. I will not google+ ever. I dont facebook, or twitter. I work and use firefox, adobe, CAD, word, have many many windows and tabs open, over a dozen or more sometimes as I search multiple products but I ALWAYS HAVE MY IGOOGLE PAGE and GMAIL PAGE tab open. How will I see all the news clips, readers clips, email, clocks of the diff times zones I work over, currency exchange rates, weather forecast for cities we have offices in, all in one tab??????????????TELL ME GOOGLE HOW>? My Yahoo works, but then I have to create a yahoo mail account and sync my emails of gmail and others to it...
Howard
07/06/2012 08:59 pm
Been using igoogle since the beginning. Disappointing.
Thinkaboutit
07/06/2012 09:12 pm
If Google does away with Igoogle, I am gone. I have used it for years and never have I found anything like it. I am a writer and it has been the greatest asset that I have had in doing research. If google does not listen to there users this one (for sure) is gone. I believe it is safe to say from all that I have read, that I will not be the only one.
John Matera
07/07/2012 02:15 am
Google didn't ask me about abandoning iGoogle, so I will abandon them as well. If they had asked, I would tell them that I use iGoogle dozens of times every day as my entry point to the internet. Why should I bother resetting my gadgets, feeds and preferences if I like them as they are? A day after an unwanted and disastrous try at upgrading my phone to Android 4.0, Google tells me they are pulling iGoogle. I cannot trust a provider with such utter disregard for users, and will abandon all Google platforms as swiftly as possible. Why not? It is just as difficult to change to their successor platforms as to switch to a vendor I can trust to guard my interests as a user. I am finished with Google.
Mark Pearson
07/09/2012 03:31 pm
Why create an app when a web page will do. In this case, iGoogle works flawlessly: I get my sports scores/schedules, news, email, games all in one well organized page... LOVE IT!! Will hate to see it go.
oneofmany
07/09/2012 05:08 pm
Up until the Google announcement regarding the killing of iGoogle I was an avid user of all Google products. Since the announcement and lame response to user's concerns, I have switched from Chrome back to Firefox and have checked out Netvibes and Protopage as dashboards for my desktop and will have to see how compatible they are with my mobile. They are both looking quite promising and it appears that I will be able to import most of my iGoogle page into either one. My next move will be to find a good replacement for my Gmail account. This announcement by Google has opened my eyes to other possibilities on the net that are not part of the Google web.
Tebsinca
07/15/2012 06:03 pm
disappointing decision by Google to retire iGoogle. I'm not a fan of myYahoo and just tried Prototype, which was also a bust; iGoogle is such a great product ... what a bummer!
Gor
07/20/2012 06:38 pm
Darn right. They want me to scrap I google in favor of Chrome. So I go from having the top headlines from the sites I like plus easy acces to my calendar, documents and email to having stupid App buttons that show nothing and add another step. this is going backwards. When it comes time to shut down iGoogle, I'll probably just make facebook my new homepage. Did google recently hire the Digg staff or something?
John Weldie
07/21/2012 04:24 pm
Don't give me 'Google" that line; "Your formats are obsolete"??....Your SO FAR AHEAD, with the 'NEW-G-MAIL" changes, ( Planetary-love the eye candy ), and In ADDITION, your organization, ALL LAST YEAR, asked ALL OF US, to 'TRY", "Experiment", "Add-our opinions", and EVERY-THING. We, who are LOYAL-FANS, deserve an 'ENDLESS" Igoogle WEB-PAGE....yours, cause the others 'SUCK"!........Forget the Shut-down in 2013,...BESIDES, "13" is a bad number.
paul fisher
07/23/2012 02:04 am
I left yahoo for igoogle, having one clean page was really a nice feature. the chromeapps etc do not even come close to replacing what I am loosing. time to move on back to yahoo, unless someone at google can come up with a chrome something themes that is igoogle. what about all those developers that spent time developing gadgets ?
John Hunt
07/23/2012 04:34 pm
You obviously have no idea how useful iGoogle is! It's basically an easily customized home page to place all you most common links and apps you want to see wiout having to hop all over the web. It's an amazing time saver to me as a web developer who's been using search engines for over 15 years.
Bill
07/23/2012 10:29 pm
Bad decission by google. Getting rid of igoogle will backfire
Clinton Wu
07/25/2012 04:54 pm
Just wrote a blog post about iGoogle shutting down. Love to hear your thoughts in the comments. http://skim.me/home/2012/07/25/why-is-everyone-searching-for-igoogle-start-page-alternatives-replacements/
jack
07/31/2012 08:05 pm
Google? - goggle in the head more like. I hate mac at the best of times but goggles driving me mad swoppin this, adding that and axin the goodies - now my igoogle,s going dear me, i,m really naft off about this. All my home page will need rebuildin. Wake up MR chairman Goggle can,t you see when you have something good , change is nt about being best. Should you be Learning from Mac and FCut! --- ha iGiggle? Cymru
Tony
08/06/2012 07:53 am
I like igoogle and a lot of people will miss it! Shame.
Henrik Fabricius
08/06/2012 06:58 pm
do not shut iGoogle down. All my family use it from the very beginning of every day here in Denmark
dread
08/07/2012 09:20 am
its a disgrace, google plus is just some other worse version of facebook I am not interested in joining another facebook type thing Google needs to realise why people like I google not just try and jump on the bandwagon
Bill
08/08/2012 02:56 am
Google is; it's users! Without them; Google dies!
Bill
08/08/2012 03:02 am
ditto To big to fail? The bigger they are the harder---------------
Bill
08/08/2012 03:09 am
I agree! May the fleas of a thousand dogs infest their armpits!
Pam
08/17/2012 09:53 am
iGoogle has many options Chrome doesn't have - like sending web pages or web links, and my list of bookmarks, which don't transfer to chrome ans are lost. Only just discovered this when my iGoogle homepage disappeared. Still trying to find why its gone, as the withdrawal is supposed to be 16 months away
Rob
08/23/2012 03:30 pm
Does anyone else think that Google Now will be taking the place of iGoogle? I just loaded it on my hp touchpad and I find it much better than iGoogle. I hope that they release a browser based version of it.
EngrJim
08/24/2012 08:02 pm
This is about one thing, ad revenue. iGoogle allows you to view RSS feeds from multiple sites without seeing any ads (and clicking through them). They'll claim that standalone apps are more immersive... whatever. If you like efficiently getting the information you care about without adds in a browser, iGoogle is great. That's why they are getting rid of it.
azalira
09/01/2012 11:16 pm
UPDATE It's September 1st (in Australia :) AND the forum of iGoogle fan complaints is not only still going, but it's GROWING! There have been thousands of posts and it seems that more people are finding the forum every day now and adding to the chorus. The major theme is that if Google cares so little about iGoogle users, (most of whom won't need or use the suggested other solutions and 'Apps') - then masses of angry iGoogle users are and will continue to leave ALL iGoogle products as iGoogle was our link and launchpad. I for one am waiting in hope that with all of the bad vibes about this perhaps Google will change and shy away from such a bad business decision and let us keep iGoogle. (hell I'd even pay a bit to keep it) However if or when it goes I GO TOO! I am guessing as well that for everyone who finds the forum, there are hundreds of thousands who feel the same way and don't have the time or inclination to use forums but who WILL also leave Google. This model of trialing products for a few years and get us to love them and closing them down or trying to force people into using them in predetermined ways that make you use other products you don't like. (such as Chrome) Really smacks of old style MS coercion which is why so many of us stopped using their products as well. A sad day for a company who promised: "Since the beginning, we’ve focused on providing the best user experience possible. Whether we’re designing a new Internet browser or a new tweak to the look of the homepage, we take great care to ensure that they will ultimately serve you, rather than our own internal goal or bottom line."
Tuckey
09/03/2012 02:55 pm
Google Knows What We Want ! Quit your crying. It's a brilliant marketing, money making move. So Them For Who.
haha341778
09/06/2012 11:23 pm
iGoogle is useful, a lot of service iGoogle attached are very useful. I used to use other email but iGoogle has become my primary email nowadays. I am not happy to see it shut down~
The silent majority
09/17/2012 03:24 pm
Google is only interested in making us look at more adverts. So Google, keep iGoogle or lose me and 10 million others to Yahoo - you choose. This is like changing the formular of coke - a big fuck-up.
Mal.
09/18/2012 04:54 pm
Every time I switch on my ipad or computer, I am asked to sign in to see my home page. I have backed it up, and tried every other suggestion that I can find to solve the problem. Are they doing this deliberately to upset their users? It is working. I am completely fed up with them. Why kill off something that used to work?
Vickie Jean
09/20/2012 03:38 pm
iGoogle had become my internet home! Mine!!!!! You gave it to me so why are you taking it back.... at least do a conversion to something comparable or better.... So pissed they are planning to discontinue it. :(
Simply Disappointed
09/27/2012 11:09 pm
I have spent the past week in preparation for the shut down of IGoogle; but cannot find any way of replacing my IGoogle Homepage with all the useful tools and gadgets that make my day, at work, home, or away. Please add me to any list of things that might be helpful.
Bill
09/29/2012 12:33 am
Please keep igoogle. It is much more reliable and comprehensive than my msn.com. PRETTY PLEASE
babysittingjake
10/01/2012 09:07 pm
I am very disappointed that they are getting rid of igoogle. I use it as my home page with all computers at home & at work. I am looking for something similar but to no avail. Why would they be getting rid of it? It is the best, there are no better out there.
A dedicated google addict
10/04/2012 02:43 pm
If they take away iGoogle, I will have to try to find something else all of which is in no way as updated as iGoogle, Please give us a new service from google that is set up like this one
Leo835
10/18/2012 03:29 pm
DON'T REMOVE IT - IMPROVE IT!!! Listen to your USERS - you'll gradually 'LOSE US'.
bili
10/20/2012 04:57 pm
The reason is obvious. Google wants us to PAY for it. Lately, I noticed that every time I open my iGoogle page, some stupid notice from "Google" about an unsafe site pops up. For a few milliseconds, I'll see my iGoogle page then the ornery warning replaces it. It's obvious that Google planted a re-direct - I think that's such an old IT trick that Google is resorting to in order to avoid being accused of non-compliance with their "do no evil" policy. Sad to say Mr. Paige but your company is no longer unique and different from other companies who are out there just trying to make a buck. Don't get me wrong. I respect businesses making money. But just be truthful of your intentions. People are not stupid as you think. Don't be like that creature in the White House who thinks they can outwit anyone and everyone.
Marty Walpole.
10/21/2012 01:36 pm
Google's decision to shut down iGoogle is incomprehensible. Why are they killing the golden goose? I realize that iphones and other mobile devices are scoring points, but for the millions that still use iGoogle on a daily basis, how about some consideration Google. iGoogle offers so much and rather than keep clientele you would prefer to blew them away all for mobile apps. Short-sightedness will be your undoing. Leave iGoogle alone and let all Googler's continue their Net surfing, business or whatever, ways.
raymond
11/05/2012 05:24 pm
they got their money and got so big so they say fuck all us users
raymond
11/05/2012 05:26 pm
facebook is the next one to fuck us all
raymond
11/05/2012 05:28 pm
thats the way big business goes shit on the people who got you there!!!!
Marc Aguilar
11/12/2012 05:51 pm
Why wait for 2013 for igoogle to close, when you can use www.yourls.com now. I am using it now and I'm so satisfied with it, you should try it too..
Justin Hunt
11/26/2012 04:08 am
I love igoogle. But am already looking for an alternative. Thanks for leaving us out in the cold google....
Jafs
11/28/2012 05:29 pm
I have recommended this sight to so many clients...it's a beautiful creation with awesome potential!! Who is making this horrendous decision, and who doesn't have enough to do? Is this the way people reinvent their job for job security??. There is a whole generation of boomers plus many others who depend on this awesome sight...why? because it ISN'T an app. It functions with ease, I can make it my own and it's one of the best all in one "find what you need" , I use it on my iPad 3G and love it. I am certain something better will come down the road, but it hasn't.... And I'm willing to bet it's 10 years out...at the rate your interpreting this site's function... and baling. Disgusted with your narrow thinking, pull your head out..start caring about the ones that care about you and stop fixing things that aren't broken!!!!!!!!
Malte
12/04/2012 01:55 am
Google plus, Calendar, Gmail, and Reader do it for me. Each has its own pinned tab in Chrome and each shows way more information than they ever could on iGoogle.
iGoogleForever
12/08/2012 06:19 am
I'll be switching to Bing on November 1st, 2013. Google, you have 11 months to prevent that by reversing this dumbass decision. Tick tock.
iGoogleForever
12/08/2012 06:28 am
No one gives a shit about you. iGoogle, on the other hand, is used regularly by millions who very much do give a shit about it.
Gerrit
03/02/2013 11:12 am
iGoogle is great. There are no good alternatives. Typical desicion of a large company not taking it's customer serious. Sad
DEATHSONG
04/27/2013 02:50 am
iGoogle will not be available after November 1, 2013. FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
DEATHSONG
04/27/2013 02:52 am
Google... You listen here you fuck... My fav home page has been igoogle like 3 years now.. but that's not important. ?
Stephen
05/03/2013 01:53 pm
Google, time to listen to the consumer. potential huge backlash here.
Algirdas Ivanascenko
05/25/2013 04:09 pm
igoogle forever and now you gonna shutdown my hompage i used 4 years. idiots!!! dont do it...