Google to shut down Google One VPN on June 20
Google’s decision to shut down the Google One VPN on June 20 reinforces its reputation for frequently axing products, prompting renewed criticism that the company is unreliable for long-term services. Commenters debate whether this kind of rapid experimentation and shutdown cycle is sound business practice or brand-damaging short-termism, with some extending the concern to other Google offerings, including cloud services. Others note the VPN was unreliable and little-used, arguing that specialized providers are better suited to offer privacy tools than an ad-driven company.
Overall reaction to Google One VPN shutdown
- Many see it as “another one” in Google’s long list of discontinued products, often referenced alongside killed-product trackers.
- Some users are annoyed because they actively used it (e.g., to avoid employer monitoring) or expected it as part of a paid Google One bundle.
- Others say almost nobody will care, arguing VPNs are better run by specialized providers and that the service was marginal anyway.
- A few only learned it existed from this thread, reinforcing the perception it lacked adoption and visibility.
Trust in Google and product longevity
- Frequent shutdowns are seen as eroding trust; some say they now avoid integrating any new Google product into their workflow.
- There is concern about what this pattern implies for other non-core products like Keep, Scholar, Finance, or even long-term pillars like Gmail.
- Some argue ruthless pruning is rational business (avoiding sunk-cost fallacy), but others counter that short notice and abruptness are harmful.
Google One value proposition
- Users note that VPN removal and AI features gated behind specific tiers make Google One feel increasingly “useless” or inconsistent.
- Questions raised whether the subscription will remain at the same price despite feature cuts.
Internal incentives and strategy
- Several comments attribute launches to internal promotion incentives and KPI-chasing rather than coherent long-term strategy.
- Others argue such products are serious, cross-team efforts that later lose executive sponsorship once they miss targets.
Technical and quality issues
- Multiple reports describe the VPN as unreliable, especially on Android and hotel/captive Wi-Fi, with flaky connections and DNS behavior.
- Some mention alleged Windows client issues (DNS hijacking, routing problems) and speculate that supporting Windows isn’t worth the effort.
VPNs, privacy, and comparisons
- Skepticism about using a Google-run VPN for privacy; some see VPNs partly as a way to reduce Google’s visibility, not increase it.
- Discussion notes user misconceptions fueled by VPN ads promising total anonymity.
- Comparisons are drawn to Apple’s Private Relay and Chrome’s upcoming IP protection, which target tracking/censorship more than full VPN use cases.