Google+ is Completely Missing From Google I/O 2014 (Updated: So Far?)

Remember the story that surfaced shortly after Google+ head Vic Gundotra announced that he was leaving Google – you know, the one about Google dialing back Google+ and reducing its importance? Actually, I think the report stated that the service was close to being dead, something Google “vehemently” denied. Well, take it for what it’s worth, but the Google I/O 2014 schedule fails to mention the social network at all. As in, doesn’t mention it once, nor is it even listed as a potential topic to be discussed. Google+ is apparently not a part of Google’s developer conference. 

To help you understand how odd this is, take a look at the schedules from 2012 and 2013. If you do a quick page search on either of those, you will come up with eight hits in 2012 and 20 in 2013. There is also a dedicated filter/track for Google+ at both as well. In fact, in 2013, the track pull-down is laid out in what we would assume is top-to-bottom, level of importance topics, with Google+ sitting at number 3, just below Android and Chrome. In 2012, the list is alphabetized. Google+ is not listed as a track in 2014.

You will also remember Vic Gundotra leading Google+ sessions during the keynotes at I/O the last couple of years. While we don’t have the schedule of this year’s keynote, is it safe to guess that Google+ won’t be a part of it? Why would Google show off new Google+ features and then not have sessions dedicated to them over the next couple of days? You tell me.

The only mention of Google+ I could find in any of the sessions referenced an employee that used to work on Google+, but has since joined Android Wear.

Tough to tell what this means. We have reached out to Google for comment and will update should we hear back.

In the mean time, feel free to decide for yourself if this something Google+ users should be worried about or not.

Update:  Google has told us to “sit tight,” as today’s schedule is only the first set of sessions to be announced. More will come over the coming weeks, which could mean special sessions dedicated to G+, though they didn’t specifically say that. Something seems odd about the situation, but we will indeed sit tight.

Cheers Walter!