Google stops developing Wave because of slow adoption

Google Inc., owner of the most popular Internet search engine, will end development of its Wave online-collaboration site because of slow adoption.

Google will maintain Wave until at least the end of the year, while adding its features to other products, the company said in a blog posting. Parts of the software, which help users share pictures and documents, are already available publicly to outside developers.

"We have always pursued innovative projects because we want to drive breakthroughs in computer science that dramatically improve our users' lives," Urs Holzle, a senior vice president at the Mountain View, California-based company, said in the blog posting. "Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked."

Google has been killing off its underperforming projects while investing in areas such as display advertising and business software. Last year, the company stopped selling newspaper advertising and closed its radio-programming business. Earlier this year, Google said it would stop offering its Nexus One phone via an online store.

Google rose $16.49, or 3.4 percent, to $506.32 at 4 p.m. New York time on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The shares have fallen 18 percent this year.