Google Stops Forcing G+ Accounts On Gmail Users
We've always wondered if the digital world was spacious enough for Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, and it seems that the answer to that is becoming ever clearer. G+ was mocked for years by those who felt that it joined the social race too late, and that Google was simply bullying users of its other products into signing up and linking an account. Forcing folks to use a product is no great way to organically grow a passionate user base, and it appears that even Google is now realizing that.
Quietly, Google has removed the requirement that all new Gmail sign-ups also sign up for a Google+ account. During the process, you're still given the option to do so, but you're no longer required to do it. It's a sign that Google understands the dynamics at play in the social arena, and if G+ hasn't caught fire by now, it probably isn't going to.
This doesn't necessarily mean that Google+ is near the end; it's very likely that G+ will stick around and be supported for some time to come. It's definitely not a ghost town, and it actually has a very active user base in some respects. But this definitely proves one thing: even a company as huge and successful as Google cannot force its way into a segment where the race has already been won.
Quietly, Google has removed the requirement that all new Gmail sign-ups also sign up for a Google+ account. During the process, you're still given the option to do so, but you're no longer required to do it. It's a sign that Google understands the dynamics at play in the social arena, and if G+ hasn't caught fire by now, it probably isn't going to.
This doesn't necessarily mean that Google+ is near the end; it's very likely that G+ will stick around and be supported for some time to come. It's definitely not a ghost town, and it actually has a very active user base in some respects. But this definitely proves one thing: even a company as huge and successful as Google cannot force its way into a segment where the race has already been won.
