[icandoit]

They can't find someone to take their money in exchange for a useful service.

That isn't a Google problem. That's our opportunity. I can't think of a single company known for riding Google's coat tails. Why aren't people responding to the enormous wealth of Google by emulating them? We don't have to be beholden to a few huge tech companies there is space for so many more players.

I try to see things I can do when other people tell me a story about who is to blame for something. It's all a matter of framing.

[yellow_postit]

Ad companies like Google tend to be winner take most markets. Thats why you see it referred to as the duopoly of Google and FB, together they have ~60% of the digital ad market.

[joshuamorton]

This doesn't address the question:

Why didn't something pop up and eat up the success left in the wake of a market Google left, like reader or inbox or wave?

[ryukafalz]

I would guess because those products weren't profitable on their own. They were propped up by Google's massive advertising business.