When Google Products will recover from BETA ?

After reaching office, you may be checking your mails on gmail (most users have gmail account), or using some other Google product, just check the Google product logo on Top of the page, small beta text will be written just below the logo. Most of the Google products are still in their BETA version. Beta tag is now becoming part of Google product logos. Since its launch in April 2004, GMAIL is still in beta version irrespective of having 146 m global users (Comscore, April 2009). Almost half of the Google products are still not grown up and running in beta version.

I was trying to count down Google Beta products but someone else has down this work for him. Pingdom's count (Sep 08 report) reveals that almost half of the Google's products are running with beta logo. No other big internet giant is doing this to the extent that Google does.

Generally, beta label is used for the products that are not fully tested or that still lack important functionality or not fully baked product. I assume, Google is redefining the word “Beta” for itself. By releasing products in beta version, Google is playing safe and limit its liability with certain products. For example, you are using Gmail and move your all the important contacts and mails into it then due to some technical reason, many of your e-mail / contacts disappears. Then to whom you would blame? Google has protective shield named Beta label.

Recently, Google took out Chrome from its beta version. But still four of the five core Google products are still in Beta i.e., Gmail, Google Docs, Google Talk and Google Calendar and Google Sites.

Now, news is coming from Google house that they are planning to remove beta label from its products which are for enterprise customers. They may remove Beta label from its number of products which are aimed at enterprise customers and to even consider shifting from MS Office to Google.

Google is earning million dollar money through beta label products. Amazon is also doing the same thing; its Mechanical Turk has been in beta for 3 years. When these companies will make fully functional product and stop making fool to users.