> They discontinue products that don't pan out and lose them money

It seems they also discontinue products that make them money and continue products that lose them money. Their exchanges with the SEC [1] seem to suggest that YouTube loses money (otherwise why wouldn't they publish the numbers?), and if that becomes known public info, it may open them up to a host of legal and political problems.

Regardless, if you discontinue products your customers are using, don't be surprised if your customers stop relying on your products.

1. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/02/28/sec_google_youtube/