Today we woke up to sad news for tech lovers. Google Reader, the popular RSS reader, will close on July 1st. In this post, we analyze the reasons for the closure, the main alternatives, and the future of Feed readers.
The first thing to clarify is that RSS feeds will not stop working. RSS feeds are small files generated by each blog or website that the RSS reader (Google Reader or another) consults. The fact that a reader closes, even the most important one, does not mean the system stops working.
However, the closure of Google Reader is indeed a severe blow in two ways. First, because it is the most popular RSS reader. And second, because many of the alternatives synchronize feeds with Google Reader. In fact, this was a functionality specifically requested by users, allowing them to concentrate all their feeds in one place and consult them from any reader. In this way, Google Reader was used as a “Feed list.”
The Reasons
Google justifies this action by citing a lack of users for Google Reader. This version does not sustain itself, as clearly shown by the fact that the news quickly became a trending topic, or that the web has been flooded with posts and comments from users expressing their dissatisfaction with Google’s decision.
Various initiatives have even emerged to vote against the closure of Google Reader. There is also a mobilization calling for the deletion of G+ accounts in protest of Google Reader’s closure. It is not foreseeable that any of these initiatives will change Google’s decision.
But then, if it is such a popular service, why is Google closing this popular service? In short, for two reasons:
- G+ social network, after multiple failed initiatives by Google to have its own competition for Facebook, finally has its own social network. Although it currently does not have high activity, G+ has been Google’s future bet for some time. Google has always thought that Reader is taking users away from G+. Progressively, it has been removing features from Reader (such as sharing with other networks or sharing RSS between users) in favor of G+, until reaching its definitive closure.
- Metrics. Google lives, among other things, on internet usage statistics. Website visits, clicks, visit duration, etc. For some time, RSS feeds have been a problem for Google because they hinder Google’s data collection efforts. This is because, using RSS, users are actually reading a page without visiting it, so the visit is not counted. To solve this, Google created Feedburner some time ago, an RSS usage statistics service, which has also been sidelined in the last year.
Alternatives
The internet has been filled lately with comparisons of alternative services to Google Reader. Flipboard, Pulse, Yandex, Newsblur, Netvibes, they are popping up like mushrooms. I don’t see the point in giving a huge list of alternatives for you to try because if someone reads a technology blog, it is precisely so that they filter the information a bit for you. So I’m going to give you my recommendations for RSS readers:
Feedly
Without a doubt, it is my favorite news reader. On mobile devices and tablets, the appearance is simply spectacular. One of the most important features is that it does not synchronize articles, like other mobile readers, but downloads them as you read them. For computers, it presents an attractive design, although the useful reading area is somewhat reduced due to both sidebars. If you want an experience as similar as possible to Greader, select Full Articles in the settings.
Feedly incorporates feed synchronization with Google Reader, so migration is very simple. Furthermore, after the announcement of Reader’s closure, Feedly announced its Normandy project to become definitively independent from Google’s servers. In short, a perfect alternative that will make you quickly forget about Greader.
The old reader
If you are more classic and are looking for an aesthetic similar to that of Google Reader on your PC, you have The Old Reader available. This reader emerged as an alternative to Google Reader when they started making changes to the interface that were not to the liking of many users.
The main drawbacks are that, for now, The Old Reader does not have buttons to share directly on social networks, and it does not have an application for mobile devices. It is foreseeable that these deficiencies will be addressed in the coming months.
Conclusion
A bold move by Google. A blow on the table to boost its G+ network, without thinking about or caring for its users. On the other hand, the announced death of a product that long ago ceased to be to Google’s liking and from which we have seen how, gradually, all functionalities were being removed little by little, starting with Feedburner. Although there was always hope that Google would not dare to close it definitively.
An action that is unlikely to work for them, given that the many users who use RSS will look for an alternative reader to continue reading them, because we find it more comfortable than reading them through a social network. I recommend you try Feedly, which is excellent, especially on mobile devices. If you don’t like it, there is a great multitude of alternatives to choose from, and it is foreseeable that a much larger number will appear in the coming months.
Therefore, download your data files from Google Reader as soon as possible, so you can move to another reader in the future, as it is foreseeable that all will incorporate the option to import data from these files.
And what do you think about Google’s announcement? Do you think it’s a successful strategy? Do you plan to use another RSS reader? Do you know any alternative you consider important? If you want to share your opinion, leave us a comment.
