Google Axes SMS Search Service Without Prior Notification: Enrages Users

Google axed its SMS search service Friday without prior notification, which left a few customers baffled while others didn't even know the service existed.

Google has discontinued its SMS service search without prior notice, which surprised many users. Some people weren't even aware that Google had an SMS search, which helped people with limited or no data plans search for information on their phones. All they needed to do was send in a query to 466453 and they would get a reply with related information. This information was not a link for some website but the actual information, keeping in mind that the user requesting for that information may not have a data plan to visit the link.

Assuming most people weren't even aware of this service, Google didn't send out a notification after the service was stopped. It was only after frequent users of the service posted a query about why the service was not working that a Google representative clarify that the service had stopped

"Closing products always involves tough choices, but we do think very hard about each decision and its implications for our users. Streamlining our services enables us to focus on creating beautiful technology that will improve people's lives," read the post.

Everyone is aware of Google's spring cleaning bouts where the company axes products and services that are not doing too well. However, prior notifications have always been sent out and clients are made aware of what services are going to be stopped well in advance.

Slowly as more people began to realize the axe, comments started flowing in on Reddit and the Google Product forum site. Users felt they were left "technically stranded" when they tried looking for information on the web about the stopping of this service.

According to experts, Google must have assumed that most people won't even realize the service has been stopped considering 80 percent of the phones sold in the market currently are smartphones that come with cheap unlimited data plans. However, the comments on Reddit and the Google Product forum site suggest that there are still many people who have been using the service and are upset that it has been axed suddenly.