14 DAY TRIAL // Google has elected to shut down the Picnik photo editing app. It acquired the company behind it in 2010 and has since put the team to work on other Google products, that integrate photo editing, notably Google+.
To focus entirely on the new products, Google will be shutting down Picnik altogether, giving users the chance to take out their photos before the site closes permanently.
"Since joining Google in 2010, we have been creating editing magic in Google products while continuing to keep Picnik awesome. But now we get to focus on even awesomer things. Picnik will be closing on April 19, 2012," the Picnik team wrote.
People will be able to get their photos out in one big ZIP file or export them to Google+. Premium users will also get a full refund of whatever they paid of their last subscription. As a final gesture of thanks, the premium features of Picnik will be free for anyone to use.
"We have been incredibly proud of building a product that is used and beloved by so many of you. We continue to be amazed and humbled by the photos you create and we are immensely grateful for all of your support, creativity, and passion," Picnik wrote.
Needless to say, "so many of you" are not happy, the announcement already has amassed a few hundred comments, the vast majority of them complaining about the closure, unsurprisingly.
Picnik did have a rather large, loyal following, but it probably wasn't enough for Google. Unfortunately this probably means that all the people complaining will not be enough for Google to change its mind, though it has happened in some cases.
"We are excited by the photo-editing fun we have already brought to Google products, like Google+, where you can find many of your favorite Picnik effects in Creative Kit," Picnik directed people towards Google+, where the teams efforts can now be seen.