Google to shut down its mobile Shopping app in June

Google has announced that it is shutting down its mobile shopping app for both iOS and Android devices by June this year.

As per The Verge, the tech giant will direct users to its web shopping site instead. On Friday, Xda Developers discovered that the term "sunset" had been added to several strings of code in the Shopping app, suggesting the apps were being discontinued.

A Google spokesperson told 9to5 Google that the apps will continue to function through June. The shopping.google.com site will remain active.

"Within the next few weeks, we'll no longer be supporting the Shopping app. All of the functionality the app offered users is available on the Shopping tab," the spokesperson said.

"We'll continue building features within the Shopping tab and other Google surfaces, including the Google app," the spokesperson added.

The app allowed users to choose from among thousands of online stores and make purchases using their Google accounts.

The move comes as the tech giant has been expanding shopping functionality in Search, Image Search, and YouTube, while increasingly leveraging augmented reality.

( With inputs from ANI )