Google (Google) launched Gmail (Gmail) way back in 2004, and since then, it has become one of the company’s most important and popular products outside of search. But all the while, it has continued to bear the “Beta” tag, which, is somewhat laughable when you consider it took Google Chrome (Google Chrome) only a matter of months to come out of beta, sans many of the features (like extensions) you’d expect from a polished web browser.
That has all just changed, as Google has finally decided to take the beta tag off of Gmail, as well as Calendar, Docs, and Gtalk (Gtalk). Users will begin to notice the change – essentially just the removal of the “beta” tag from the respective product logos – starting today.
Google explains the move on their blog:
“We’re often asked why so many Google applications seem to be perpetually in beta. For example, Gmail has worn the beta tag more than five years. We realize this situation puzzles some people, particularly those who subscribe to the traditional definition of “beta” software as not being yet ready for prime time …
… Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs (Google Docs) and Google Talk — both enterprise and consumer versions — are now out of beta. “Beta” will be removed from the product logos today, but we’ll continue to innovate and improve upon the applications whether or not there’s a small “beta” beneath the logo.”
It’s essentially just a symbolic move at this point, but you have to wonder if it will trickle down to other companies, many of which have become fond of using “Beta” (or even “Alpha”) tags on their products longer than you might expect, in emulation of Google.
However, if you’d like to keep the “Beta” tag on your Gmail, you can now enable a “Back to Beta” option in Google Labs.
[via]