Launched back in 2013, Google Play for Education was intended to promote tablet use in the classroom, but the program has just closed.
Google issued the following statement about closing the service:
“As of March 14 or later, Google will no longer sell Google Play for Education licenses. We’re committed to providing schools with the best-in-class tools for the classroom, including Chromebooks, which are the #1 selling device in US K-12 education, and a strong and growing ecosystem of educational apps. We’ll continue to support our Google Play for Education customers and the devices that they have purchased”.
Teachers using the service should expect the firm to support them long-term as it didn’t indicate that the program would end for existing users, which so far has only been available in the US, the UK and Canada.
Even though many users are disappointed that a program meant to help kids learn has closed, it’s clear that the company intends to focus on Chromebooks in the classroom rather than mobile devices.
The devices are more affordable than regular laptops, and it’s interesting that tablets are not considered the ideal computers by the search giant. Apple on the other hand continues to push the iPad and iPad Pro, in a somewhat different strategy, and both companies appear to be going all out in a bid to become number one in the classroom.
SOURCE: TheNextWeb.com.
Larry Banks is a keen follower of technology and finance. He has worked for a variety of online publications, writing about a diverse range of topics including mobile networks, patents, and Internet video delivery technologies.
