Google's free SMS gravy train dries up

(Credit: CNET Networks / Josh Lowensohn)

Google on Wednesday will close off access to the part of Google Talk that lets third-party developers send and receive text messages. Third-party applications, such as Infinite SMS for the iPhone and desktop chat software that made use of this XMPP pathway will no longer be able to freely send text messages to other mobile phones.

The company simply no longer wanted to foot the bill for that part of Google Talk's API, according to a Google statement posted by Infinite SMS creators Innerfence. "While Google is supportive of third party apps, we've decided we can't support this particular usage of our system at this time," the company said. Google also cited that the SMS feature was part of a labs project, presumably to note it not being a fully-baked feature, thus not belonging in the API.

While cheaper than they used to be, text messages still cost something. Without control over the applications that were using it, Google simply became a service provider that wasn't charging. For the highly popular iPhone application Infinite SMS, this meant the creators could focus on building features on top of Google's data pipe, something done with a dozen other Google services with APIs like Google Maps, custom search, and Open Social.

The clear difference in this case is that an SMS message itself is difficult to monetize. Carriers charge a hefty sum for the privilege of sending what amounts to just a few bytes of data. But for a company like Google, one of the only hopes of adding onto that is with external ads or a paid service to let you send them. Offering it free through an API offered neither of these avenues.

(via TechFlash)

[pointmanzero]

"they still cost something"

Oh except for they don't ! At least not for the service providers, but yet they charge us.

TechDirt already talked about this, really CNET I like you guys but your slippin...

[Josh.Lowensohn]

Any data sent over a network has a cost, bet it a byte to a GB. The fact that a carrier charges subscribers for the "luxury" means third party services must pay to send messages too.

[t8]

What we need are Internet devices that connect wirelessly and we can Skype and IM from there. Then we only get charged for the connection. I realise that one cannot be connected all time yet, it's just a matter of time.

[infinitely]

Yeah, text messages actually don't cost anything for the providers. They are part of the system data that makes the cell phone network work and always use the same amount of data, whether there's one or one million texts being sent.

[Josh.Lowensohn]

I didn't say the onus was on the providers (which it is, although to a very minute degree). It's on Google to pay for those messages. Google is not a phone company, hence it needs to work with a carrier to offer such a service.

[Hunnter2k3]

Eh it was due to happen at some point.

Sadly, this world is a cruel, greed-based society, and probably will remain like this for centuries (until we start mining other planetary objects)
If only the telecomms lines were treated as one of the highest priorities in development.
Oh well, within time i guess, most places seem to have some plans for the next couple decades...

[arj8138]

i thought sending a text message was the same as sending an email to [e-mail] so isnt google really just sending e-mails to the persons phone - in which case they arent working with a carrier to do so. I assumed that it was just a skin that lets someone just put in a phone number and a carrier and it would take care of it from there.....

[bocosoft]

Check out the next free texting app! It's even better!

http://sites.google.com/site/bocosoft/

This app will let you send and receive both SMS and MMS, and they will also do international texting, all for free.

[anncs]

touchTXT is free in the app store and let's you send free text messages - go to http://itunes.com/apps/touchTXT

[QuadFather]

That royally sucks. This was one of my favorite features of google talk.

There must be some way to keep it ...

[BIGELLOW]

To those who may be otherwise confused, Google is not discontinuing SMS text messages through Google Talk at this time (yet?)... they are only discontinuing the part of the API which lets third-party developers utilize this feature for free.

There is a subtle yet important difference.

[justapilot]

I want my money for nothing and my texts for free!

[haralambi]

That's why most Google services are Beta ...period! So they can easlily change the policy anytime. It's a bitter taste for those who are investing and building their apps around Google's services and later find themselfs in such a situation.
Which is the next 'cool' service heading to pay.....how about the newest Google Voice?

[jhtodd]

Looking at my own Gtalk windows on Gmail, I see no "SMS" option as described by the Google Documentation. It appears Google has removed all SMS functionality, not just the API, at least from the perspective of my account.

http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=106015&topic=12871 <- is currently WRONG.

I also don't see conference rooms any longer. Did someone from AOL slip into the Gtalk team and decide to dumb the whole thing down to where it's useless for real work?

JT

[freesmsman]

http://www.sendfreesms.ca