Vic Gundotra, popularly known as the father of Google+, is leaving Google after working in the search giant for 8 years. Most of his years in Google were spent in developing and expanding Google+ and making it reach, where it is today.
After the havoc which came into Google’s orkut, due to Facebook and other social networks, Vic Gundotra took the bold step of creating and developing Google+. And Google+ today, may not have the same large user base as facebook, but it is certainely giving a hard time to the largest social network.
But now, as Vic Gundotra leaves, we are seeing reports that Google is not going to take Google+ as a product any more. Rather Google woul;d be taking it as a platform. These reports surfaced on Techcrunch. Although a Google employee has clearly denied the allegations, saying, “Today’s news has no impact on our Google+ strategy — we have an incredibly talented team that will continue to build great user experiences across Google+, Hangouts and Photos.“
But as per the report on Techcrunch, “Google has apparently been reshuffling the teams that used to form the core of Google+, a group numbering between 1,000 and 1,200 employees. We hear that there’s a new building on campus, so many of those people are getting moved physically, as well — not necessarily due to Gundotra’s departure. “
If this happens, this would virtually end any competition in the social networking arena, where Facebook will become the sole dominant force. Google+ may not have been the biggest success, but its expanding footprint, and the backing of a name like Google behind it, held other social networking players on their toes.
“I have been incredibly fortunate to work with the amazing people of Google. I don’t believe there is a more talented and passionate collection of people anywhere else,” Gundotra wrote in his announcement today. “And I’m overwhelmed when I think about the leadership of Larry Page and what he empowered me to do while at Google. From starting Google I/O, to being responsible for all mobile applications, to creating Google+, none of this would have happened without Larry’s encouragement and support.”
In a separate Google+ post, Google CEO Larry Page noted Gundotra’s past achievements at Google (he was previously at Microsoft) and praised him for having “built Google+ from nothing.”
Vic Gundotra was an alumni of India’s prestigious, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
