[twelvechairs]

It shouldn't really come as a surprise that Google is acting more and more now like a big established company with shareholders (which they are). When you become an established industry leader (as a profit-driven shareholder company), you tend to focus on minimising overheads, cutting cruft and focusing on core profit-driven services.

They aren't going to be benevolent dictators of the internet forever - we should be thankful that their benevolence has lasted so long (and still is lasting through many free services provided).