Google to shutting down its URL shortening service

Technology giant Google on Sunday announced that it is shutting down its URL shortening service, goo.gl.

According to The Verge, new and anonymous users won't be able to create links through the goo.gl console after April 13, but existing users will be able to use the service for another year, after which it will be discontinued completely.

"We launched the Google URL Shortener back in 2009 as a way to help people more easily share links and measure traffic online. Since then, many popular URL shortening services have emerged and the ways people find content on the Internet have also changed dramatically, from primarily desktop webpages to apps, mobile devices, home assistants, and more. To refocus our efforts, we're turning down support for goo.gl over the coming weeks and replacing it with Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL)," Google said on its blog.

FDLs are smart URLs that allow one to send existing and potential users to any location within an iOS, Android or web app.

"Starting May 30, 2018, only projects that have accessed URL Shortener Application Program Interfaces (APIs) before today can create short links," the statement from Google said in a note for developers.

accessed URL Shortener Application Program Interfaces (APIs) before today can create short links," the statement from Google said in a note for developers.

Firebase software engineer Michael Hermanto told The Verge that since 2009, the ways in which people share information on the web has changed, while additional URL shorteners have grown in popularity.

He noted that Google is refocusing its efforts by replacing it with Firebase Dynamic Links, which allow users to specific locations in iOS, Android or web apps.

Existing users will be able to create shortened URLs and export data from the goo.gl console through March 30, 2019.