All articles tagged with #app shutdown
Dot, an AI companion app designed to offer personalized emotional support, is shutting down by October 5 due to diverging visions among its founders, amid increasing scrutiny of AI chatbots' safety and mental health impacts. Despite having hundreds of thousands of users, actual downloads were relatively low, and the shutdown highlights ongoing concerns about AI's influence on vulnerable users.
Mozilla is shutting down Pocket in October 2025, prompting users to find alternative read-it-later apps. The article reviews several options including Matter, Instapaper, Raindrop.io, Plinky, Paperspan, Readwise Reader, DoubleMemory, Recall, Wallabag, Readeck, Obsidian Web Clipper, Karakeep, and Dewey, highlighting their features and subscription plans to help users transition smoothly.
ICQ, one of the oldest instant messaging clients, is shutting down on June 26 after nearly three decades. Users are advised to migrate to VK's messaging platforms. ICQ, originally developed by Mirabilis and later acquired by AOL, had 100 million users in 2001 but lost popularity to other messaging apps. VK, which bought ICQ in 2010, has decided to retire the app, focusing instead on its other social media and messaging services.
Google has announced the closure of its Podcasts app for Android, prompting users to migrate their subscriptions to YouTube Music by April 2. The app will no longer be functional after this date, with a final deadline for subscription migration set for July 2024. This move is part of Google's plan to centralize its audio services under YouTube, leaving many users disappointed and critical of the decision.
Google is shutting down its Podcasts app in the U.S. and urging users to migrate their subscriptions to YouTube Music by April 2, with a complete shutdown of the app by the end of March 2024. The move is part of Google's plan to centralize its audio services under YouTube, which now supports podcasts globally and offers tools to upload RSS feeds. This transition could help Google become a bigger player in the podcasting space, especially as interest in video podcasts rises. Users who miss the in-app notifications will have until July 2024 to save their subscriptions using the app's export feature.
Nissan is facing backlash from owners of older Leaf electric cars after announcing that its app, which allows remote control of functions such as heating, will stop working due to the UK's 2G network being switched off. Around 3,000 Nissan Leaf and e-NV200 cars made before 2016 are affected, with owners expressing disappointment and surprise at the lack of notice given about the app shutdown. Experts predict that as the electric vehicle market grows, more owners may encounter similar issues as technology advances and companies stop issuing updates.
Artifact, the personalized social news aggregator app launched by Instagram co-founders, is shutting down due to insufficient market opportunity. Users are now seeking alternatives, with Apple News and Flipboard being recommended as solid options for those looking for straightforward news and curated content, respectively. While Apple News offers a feed of headlines and content from followed sources, Flipboard blends human curation with algorithms and provides a beautiful reading experience without overwhelming user-generated content.
Google is shutting down its popular Google Play Movies & TV app, starting with its removal from Roku devices and most smart TVs. Over the next few weeks, the app will be phased out until it is permanently gone. However, users need not worry as their rented and purchased films will be transferred to Android TV and YouTube. The change is part of Google's efforts to simplify its movie and TV content access, with the standalone TV app being the preferred platform. Previously purchased titles can still be accessed on Android TV devices, Google TV devices, the Google TV mobile app, and YouTube.
Sunbird has decided to shut down its iMessage app for Android due to significant privacy concerns.
Twitch is shutting down its app on the Nintendo Switch, with new users unable to download it from November 6th and all users losing access from January 31st, 2024. The app, which allows users to watch Twitch streams but not stream directly, is likely being removed due to low usage. In other news, Twitch has updated its appeals process and approach to enforcement for suspended streamers, introducing a "path to reinstatement" for indefinitely suspended streamers while maintaining strict guidelines for high-severity harms.
The popular third-party Reddit app, Apollo, has introduced an option for users to decline a refund for their remaining subscription time ahead of the app shutting down. The app's developer, Christian Selig, estimated that refunds could cost him around $250,000. Starting on July 1, Reddit plans to charge for its main API, which provides third-party apps like Apollo with access to the website's data. Selig cited the expensive pricing and minimal preparation time as reasons for Apollo's shutdown. The latest version of Apollo includes a new wallpaper pack that can be unlocked with a donation to help with refund costs. Reddit's decision to charge for its API has sparked controversy, leading to protests and criticism from moderators.
Reddit has forced third-party client Apollo to shut down, resulting in automatic subscription refunds for users. The developer, Christian Selig, will be out of pocket around $250k. Users are encouraged to decline the refund and consider purchasing a "Goodbye Apollo Wallpaper Set" to help support the developer. This situation highlights the challenges faced by third-party clients and the need for a middle ground in monetization strategies.
Stitcher, a 15-year-old podcasting app, is shutting down due to the economic downturn affecting the technology and entertainment sectors. Parent company SiriusXM will continue to offer Stitcher's content within its own app, incorporating podcasts into its flagship subscription business. This comes as other podcasting companies, including Spotify, have also experienced layoffs and cancellations due to the advertising downturn.
Popular third-party Reddit app Apollo is shutting down on June 30, 2023, due to Reddit's new API pricing plans, which would cost Apollo $20 million per year to continue operating. Other third-party Reddit app makers have also expressed concerns, and several top communities are planning to go dark in protest. Apollo's maker, Christian Selig, had been one of the first to call out the impact of the new API pricing, and despite efforts to find a solution, has ultimately decided to shut down the app permanently.
Spotify is shutting down its standalone live audio app, Spotify Live, after a period of experimentation and learnings around how Spotify users interact with live audio. The company believes there is a future for live fan-creator interactions in the Spotify ecosystem, but it no longer makes sense as a standalone app. Spotify will continue to explore artist-focused use cases of 'listening parties' to facilitate live interactions between artists and fans.