Google pulls plug on PowerMeter
Search giant cans high profile online smart meter service after admitting “inability to scale”
Two years after launching its PowerMeter project, Google is quietly shelving the online smart meter concept after limited uptake.
The company announced the move last Friday, citing a need to prioritise its efforts on projects that are easier to scale up for market adoption.
Users will have access to their data until September 16, and can access it as a downloadable CSV file.
PowerMeter was an energy monitoring tool designed to connect with compatible devices, and provide people with detailed information about their energy consumption. It enabled people to track their energy usage, predict their energy costs, and track their budgets online or through smart phones.
Google signed a number of partnerships with utilities and device vendors to support the application, but has evidently decided that the project did not take off as much as it had hoped.
The decision came as the search giant also announced it was to can its Google Health project, designed to store individual healthcare data online and integrate with doctors’ offices, clinics, and pharmacies.
“We believe Google Health and PowerMeter have been trailblazers in their respective categories,” the firm said in a statement. “Ultimately though, we want to satisfy the most pressing needs for the greatest number of people. In the case of these two products, our inability to scale has led us to focus our priorities elsewhere.”
The decision could be seen as something of a blow to the smart meter sector, which has seen a raft of IT giants such as Google, Microsoft and Cisco move into the space alongside specialist developers. However, while demand for real time energy monitoring devices is expected to soar in the coming years as governments mandate the roll out of smart meters the technology is still yet to achieve mainstream adoption.
Depsite Google’s decision to leave the market, arch-rival Microsoft has shown no signs of ditching its Hohm initiative, which fulfills many of the same functions as PowerMeter.
Two years after launching its PowerMeter project, Google is quietly shelving the online smart meter concept after limited uptake.
The company announced the move last Friday, citing a need to prioritise its efforts on projects that are easier to scale up for market adoption.
Users will have access to their data until September 16, and can access it as a downloadable CSV file.
PowerMeter was an energy monitoring tool designed to connect with compatible devices, and provide people with detailed information about their energy consumption. It enabled people to track their energy usage, predict their energy costs, and track their budgets online or through smart phones.
Google signed a number of partnerships with utilities and device vendors to support the application, but has evidently decided that the project did not take off as much as it had hoped.
The decision came as the search giant also announced it was to can its Google Health project, designed to store individual healthcare data online and integrate with doctors’ offices, clinics, and pharmacies.
“We believe Google Health and PowerMeter have been trailblazers in their respective categories,” the firm said in a statement. “Ultimately though, we want to satisfy the most pressing needs for the greatest number of people. In the case of these two products, our inability to scale has led us to focus our priorities elsewhere.”
The decision could be seen as something of a blow to the smart meter sector, which has seen a raft of IT giants such as Google, Microsoft and Cisco move into the space alongside specialist developers. However, while demand for real time energy monitoring devices is expected to soar in the coming years as governments mandate the roll out of smart meters the technology is still yet to achieve mainstream adoption.
Depsite Google’s decision to leave the market, arch-rival Microsoft has shown no signs of ditching its Hohm initiative, which fulfills many of the same functions as PowerMeter.
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