Google has discontinued this search feature for all users.
Google search is losing a major feature that has been part of its structure since the early days. The company has killed a feature called cached webpages, which is basically an easy way to view the first version of a webpage that Google picked up. It seems that Google has stopped providing these cache links, which will likely be replaced by something modern, or there may be a new tool that does a better job.
The development was shared this week in the X publication by Google’s Search Liaison handle. The handle also hinted at the reason for killing the feature, suggesting that it was helpful during times when the page load time was high. And as we all know, those problems are long gone, which is why Google seems happy to pull the trigger again, this time to kill cache links.
Google has supported elderly websites in situations where they disappear or encounter problems. The availability of cache links made it easier to access web pages and make the necessary adjustments to launch a website. Google is no stranger to killing features and products, and history shows that the company is happy to do so as long as the purpose is achieved.
However, we’ve seen products like Stadia shut down without warning, leaving thousands of subscribers scratching their heads at the company and its random decisions. Google’s biggest gripe for many is that the company just stops offering the product, and in this case, hasn’t even announced its decision to end the feature. It doesn’t look good for the company, but we’re unlikely to see things change.
