It has been confirmed that Google will shut down the social apps company Slide. Purchased last year for $184 million, it will be disbanded and Slide’s founder Max Levchin will leave Google.
“Max has decided to leave Slide and Google to pursue other opportunities, and we wish him the best,” said a Google spokesperson. “Most of the team from Slide will remain at Google to work on other opportunities.”
Slide has operated out of Google’s San Francisco office as an independent unit since being bought out in 2010. They’ve maintained apps like the SuperPoke Pets the messaging app Disco and photo-sharing app Photovine, none of which managed anything other than niche appeal and will see their official support abandoned soon.
After the company was acquired, internal shifts at Google meant that social efforts went towards the Google+ platform and Slide was left out of the social division. While Slide head of product Jared Fliesler is also planning to leave, much of the Slide team is expected to land at YouTube, which is also operated independently within Google.
Source: All Things D
