- Google has announced that it is shutting down Android Things, its lightweight operating system for smart displays and speakers.
- The company will begin the process of downloading the platform on January 5, 2021.
- Then it will close completely on January 5, 2022.
Add Android Things to your long list of Google projects that never went anywhere. This week, the company quietly announced in a FAQ for developers that it will begin the process of withdrawing the platform early next year.
Android Things, if you need a refresh, is a lightweight version of Google Android designed to run on smart devices at home. The project started in 2015 under the name of Brillo, with a focus on Internet of Things devices. In 2016, Google changed the initiative to Android Things. Then, after a few product launches, not much happened until last year, when Google announced that it was reorienting the project to satisfy smart displays and speakers.
Related: What is Android Things?
As for how things are going here, the company will stop accepting new non-commercial projects through the Android Things console, which allows developers to launch over-the-air updates on their devices in a few short weeks, on January 5, 2021 Then, one year later, on January 5, 2022, the company will close the platform and permanently delete all projects and their associated data. As The Verge points out, this means that developers have a year to fix anything they are working on related to Android Things.
It’s a noble end for Android Things, but then it never seemed like Google was ever deeply invested in the idea. The company never released a device that ran on Android Things, preferring instead to build its Google Cast platform. Good night, Android Things. I just met you.