Google has finally ended support for its Trips mobile app. The move follows the launch of the company’s latest travel planning tool, Google Travel.
The Trips mobile app was launched three years ago to help travelers organize their itineraries and plan their trips better and faster. However, Google’s VP of Engineering, Shopping, and Travel Oliver Heckmann revealed last May that they would be consolidating all of Google’s travel offerings.
Back then, Heckmann announced that Google services like Trips, Explore, Flights, Hotels, and Packages will be accessible not just on mobile but on desktop too. In a statement, Google’s VP of Product Management, Richard Holden, said:
“Last year, we simplified trip planning by making navigation between Google Flights, Hotels, and Trips easier on smartphones. We’re now rolling this out on desktop as well. You can either go to google.com/travel or search for something like “hotels in Tokyo” or “Vancouver” to find travel information from a variety of sources in one place.”
Goodbye Trips, Hello Google Travel
Trips users will no longer be able to access the mobile app. Instead, they will be instructed to go to Google Search or Google Map to continue planning and managing their trips with Google.
While Trips is not as popular as Google’s other services, directing users to Search, Maps, or Google Travel appears to be just another marketing strategy to show more advertisements to customers.
The web-based Google Travel showcases the same features Trips mobile had. But now, it will not only enable travelers to check sights, attractions, and other trip packages, but it will also allow advertisers to target potential customers as they manage their trips.
As of writing, the Google Trips mobile app could still be downloaded via Google Play and the Apple App Store. However, upon launching the app, users will be greeted by a goodbye message, as shown in the image below.
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