Google Announces the End of its Trusted Contacts App

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Google finally parts ways with its Trusted Contacts app. The Trusted Contacts app was introduced in 2016 to enable users to share their location- via emails- with friends and family. Beginning from 19^th October, the app has been discontinued on the play store as well as the app store. Google plans to continue supporting the app until 1^st December, 2020. Users of the app have been notified about its planned discontinuance.

Features of the Trusted Contacts App

Initially the Trusted Contacts app was introduced solely for android users. Google later made it available for iPhone users as well. The coveted feature of the app was that it enabled users to share their live location with a selected list of family and friends- in case the user felt unsafe and needed help. In addition to the user’s location, the app would also share other significant information- like battery percentage of the user’s device- with his trusted contacts.  The app was positively welcomed by users globally as it helped effectively locate people.

Live Location Sharing now Available on Google Maps

The usage value of the app was annihilated when Google Maps integrated its function of location sharing.  Elimination of the Trusted Contacts app along with the addition of new tools and features to Google Maps- will help optimize the latter’s functionality. This was an effective step toward encouraging users to utilize the location feature added to Google Maps. Features like live location sharing and computing the exact distance between the user and his trusted contact- act toward the achievement of the same goal of safety. Thus, the central feature of the Trusted Contacts app is retained and amplified by Google Maps, while the app itself is discarded.

Streamlining the App Basket

As live location sharing – through Google’s Trusted Contacts app- will end on 1^st December, Google has notified users to download the list of their trusted contact names from the app. The Trusted Contacts app is the third location sharing app to be eliminated by the tech giant. Earlier Google+ Location and Google Latitude were also removed from the company’s app basket. This drive to eliminate apps and restructure its services is motivated by the larger goal of the company to effectively streamline its amenities. Google also announced plans to eliminate its illustrious app -Google Hangouts, by the second half of 2021. Google Hangouts is to be replaced by Google Chats.