I think its downfall was being a closed beta, which made it useless for communicating with other people who weren't already invited
Just like Google+ or Bluesky.
Combined with Google's demand that every thing be The Next Big Thing, any closed beta is basically doomed. It worked exactly once, for Gmail, and only because of longstanding widespread demand for a big reliable e-mail service. Everything else had its initial obsessive weirdos and was left to rot on the vine.
Google+ only survived so long because they desperately wanted to undermine Facebook.
I think its downfall was being a closed beta, which made it useless for communicating with other people who weren't already invited
Just like Google+ or Bluesky.
Combined with Google's demand that every thing be The Next Big Thing, any closed beta is basically doomed. It worked exactly once, for Gmail, and only because of longstanding widespread demand for a big reliable e-mail service. Everything else had its initial obsessive weirdos and was left to rot on the vine.
Google+ only survived so long because they desperately wanted to undermine Facebook.