Google acquires Sparrow (Email client for OS X and iOS)

By +Frank B.
in Back Page News

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Grand Master

Hurmoth

Posted
Posted

don't see why people are moping, the features or program will probably be made free...

Does Google have a history of buying a company and keeping the product just as simple and awesome as it was and making it free?

Based on what I recall, they have a history of dismantling and incorporating acquired products into their already existing line up, which usually ruins what originally made the product awesome.

Other companies have done the same thing: Twitter with both Tweetie and TweetDeck; Yahoo! with Flickr; Apple with Siri; etc.

Here's an article Ars talking about Google's trail of dead apps left behind after acquisitions: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/07/you-shall-know-google-by-its-trail-of-dead-a-sparrow-users-lament

There's plenty of precedence to be concerned that nothing good will come of this.

The team themselves said that Sparrow is dead. Why specifically state such a thing if there was any chance that it would just be rebranded as a Gmail iOS app?

Grand Master

Hurmoth

Posted
Posted

They're sour because they actually paid for Sparrow.

That's a risk though that people take buying anything. That's like getting upset because I bought something yesterday that goes on sale today. I can't remember who, but I remember reading a great quote one time where someone said something like: don't buy a product because of what it could be tomorrow, but because of what it is today.

Here's my real problem with this entire thing: as a small team, the group built an app that they loved and were clearly proud of. It was a product that also had the community involved. They even asked what logo they should use. Often they teased new features on Twitter or Tumblr. They kept users/fans in the loop.

Now they're part of the big machine. Google is not the Do No Evil company they once proclaimed to be. They're no different than Apple and Microsoft now. Remember the outrage when Google released the official Gmail app for iOS? They eventually pulled the app and it was gone for months, and when they brought it back? It looked exactly the same. They fixed a few bugs and added Push Notifications to it, but it was still just a wrapper around their mobile site. Things in a big company don't change that much, especially in any big way. It is one reason why Microsoft should be applauded for the major changes they're doing with all of their upcoming products (even if you don't like those changes).

I remember reading an interview with the CEO of Sparrow where he stated he left a big company just for these reasons. Now, he's right back at one.

For me, at least, it isn't about paying for the product and no longer getting future updates (outside of critical updates); for me, it is solely about lost innovation. Big companies innovate on small levels, not major ones. Look at iOS as a prime example. The UI hasn't changed in any major way since it was first released 5 years. Why? Because if they did, they'd outrage millions of users. Look at every little change Facebook does and the outrage that proceeds it.

Instead of developing for a few hundred thousand users, now the team is developing for several hundred million users. That changes how you develop in a big way.

But, I hope I am wrong on all this. I hope that Google releases Sparrow rebranded as Gmail.app and that they leave the colours the same. I hate how grey and black Google makes their iOS apps. It is horrible and bland. Sparrow is a beautiful app and should be left alone in terms of UI.

Grand Master

.Neo

Posted
Posted

I read Acrylic Software has been bought by Facebook and their apps are unlikely to receive further updates as well. I was having problems with one of their apps, Pulp, and the developer(s) refused to answer my emails asking for support. As such I just filled in a refund request at Apple. Within 30 minutes I received an email from the Mac App Store support team honoring my request. I can see a store credit of ?7,99 in 3 to 5 business days.

Talk about service! (Y)

Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
Posted

Considering the gmail app for iOS is horrible as well.

But why would you even need a gmail app on iOS, heck I don't even see the point of a gmail app for Android. gmail is Mail, use the mail app and have all your mail in one place. having one app for one type of mail is just stupid.

Grand Master

.Neo

Posted
Posted

Sparrow for Windows was 'just a few weeks away,' says developer: http://t.co/S1bqXVak

Possibly more bad news, provided Google doesn't release this.

It definitely shows that porting over interfaces from one OS to another 1:1 works poorly.

Mentor

BetaAddict

Posted
Posted

Just got a popup from Sparrow on OSX asking if I wanted to buy it.

Imagine all those new mac owners this summer that might actually still buy this app only to realize that there might not be any new features coming to it. It's a great app and I hope the Google team takes over to make it their default iOS/Mac gmail app as opposed to simply porting whatever like out of it and then trash the rest.

Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
Posted

Just got a popup from Sparrow on OSX asking if I wanted to buy it.

Imagine all those new mac owners this summer that might actually still buy this app only to realize that there might not be any new features coming to it. It's a great app and I hope the Google team takes over to make it their default iOS/Mac gmail app as opposed to simply porting whatever like out of it and then trash the rest.

So an app is only good enough to buy if there's new features coming to it now o_O

pretty sure people buy apps because of how good they are NOW

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Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

Posted
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Posted

Sparrow for Windows was 'just a few weeks away,' says developer: http://t.co/S1bqXVak

Possibly more bad news, provided Google doesn't release this.

'Sparrow for Windows' was never an official Sparrow client, not even close to 'weeks away'

Mentor

BetaAddict

Posted
Posted

So an app is only good enough to buy if there's new features coming to it now o_O

pretty sure people buy apps because of how good they are NOW

I'm not sure what your formula for buying apps is, but for me, apps are an investment. When I buy an app, I look for whether the app is what is good at what it does now as well as whether the dev releases updates, maintain compatibility, and push new features on a regular basis so that their app will continue to be among the best in the future. Sparrow for OSX costs $9.99, rather expensive imo, so I'm not going to pay for the full version without the assurance the Google is keeping the app and continue to develop for it. My thoughts would be slightly different if they were not bought by Google. But hey, I'm not denying the devs anything by using the free version because they are getting paid either way for putting ads they put above the inbox.

Grand Master

SMELTN

Posted
Posted

Google can?t design an application. They?re going to destroy Sparrow.

I don't agree with you on that. Well I don't agree with you on the designing an app part. I think most of Googles apps look very good and are extremely functional, and are fantastic for the price of each.. "FREE" I do agree though, that Sparrow will be no more, and we will never hear the name again.

Grand Master

Hurmoth

Posted
Posted

I don't agree with you on that. Well I don't agree with you on the designing an app part. I think most of Googles apps look very good and are extremely functional, and are fantastic for the price of each.. "FREE" I do agree though, that Sparrow will be no more, and we will never hear the name again.

Have you ever tried their iOS apps? Their web apps might be great, especially if they're not in a wrapper app, but going straight through Safari. But their iOS apps suck. Up until the most recent version of Google+ app, it was pretty bad.

Google's recent UI changes, to these darker colors are pretty bad too.

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