Google Spaces

Google Spaces (or simply Spaces) was an app for group discussions and messaging developed by Google.[1] The app was intended to compete with Slack as a content sharing platform where users can create a "space", invite their friends for discussion, and share videos, images, text, and other media. Google services such as the web browser Chrome, search engine Google Search, and video sharing platform YouTube were built into the app to allow users to source content from them.[2] Google Spaces launched on May 16, 2016, available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS operating systems.[1] The app was discontinued on April 17, 2017.[3]

Spaces
Developer(s)Google
Initial releaseMay 16, 2016 (2016-05-16)
Operating systemWindows, Mac, Android, iOS
TypeInstant messaging
WebsiteNo longer available

History

On May 16, 2016, product director Luke Wroblewski announced the launch of Spaces as "a tool for small group sharing".[4]

On February 16, 2017, Google announced Spaces would be discontinued on April 17.[5] On March 3, Google announced that users could only print, view and delete existing spaces within the app, users could no longer create new spaces.[6]

Features

Spaces allowed group chatting and messaging between users. Users initiated conversations by creating a 'space' and then inviting friends to join. Once inside a 'space', there was a box at the bottom of the screen where one could tap buttons to post links and images and other content to the chat room. A conversational view let users see what the group was talking about.[7]

Google products such as Google Chrome, Google Search, and YouTube were in built into the app to allow users to find and share articles, videos, and images without leaving the app. It required a Gmail account to sign up.[1]

The following were the types of posts that a user could share in a "space":[8]

  • Links - URLs of media which are automatically embedded
  • Videos - YouTube videos were integrated for mobile users; however, desktop users could directly search in the YouTube database as well as see their recently watched videos
  • Photos - With support for multiple-image uploads, users could directly post through their camera roll or through Google Photos
  • Text - Plain text, without formatting support
gollark: I don't know, but they could listen in on private conversations which is bad.
gollark: You do realise that it *can* be used to do stuff other than what they *say* it's being used for, yes?
gollark: Microsoft probably collects installed applications, maybe typing data, sort of thing, and Google collects search history.
gollark: But, er, you seem to have said that Google randomly collects microphone input? That's... quite significant?
gollark: Oh, I assumed you meant a literal national border.

References
  1. Wroblewski, Luke (May 16, 2016). "Introducing Spaces, a tool for small group sharing". Google Blog. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  2. Lopez, Napier (May 16, 2016). "Google just combined Chrome, YouTube, and Search into a single messaging app called Spaces". The Next Web. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  3. "Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th, 2017". Google Support. Google. Archived from the original on February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  4. Welch, Chris (May 17, 2016), "Google's latest app, Spaces, aims to simplify group sharing", The Verge, retrieved May 17, 2016
  5. Bohn, Dieter (February 24, 2017). "Google is shutting down Spaces, its experimental group messaging app". The Verge. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  6. "Spaces Help". Google. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  7. Perez, Sarah (May 16, 2016), "Google tries its hand at social again with launch of group chat app, Spaces", TechCrunch, retrieved May 17, 2016
  8. Lopez, Napier (May 17, 2016). "Hands-on with Spaces: Everything you need to know about Google's new chat app". The Next Web. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
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