Also outside of HN/geek how many people REALLY used Reader? I bet you its less than 0.1% of the overall Google users. I would have done exactly the same in Google's position.
If a feature had been built that only 0.1% of users are using yet is taking up time to run, why keep it?
So 900 million Android devices back in July[1] and even if 5 million devices had Android that is a total of 0.55% of all Android users. Still worth it?
>> "Several million people who use Android had downloaded Google Reader."
That says nothing about usage though. I downloaded a lot of Google apps when I first got an Android device. Most of them I opened once and never again. I think this experience is common with apps.
If a feature had been built that only 0.1% of users are using yet is taking up time to run, why keep it?