Independent of company, acquisitions often have a long arduous 'integration' that never completes
In this case, it seems the content is the real value rather than the app itself. Meaning, the app doesn't have too many roots that can't be uplifted. The main pieces I see are:
- registering as 1st party app ( a couple months with redtape )
- used a standard database ( shouldn't use more than a year )
- used standard auth ( should take less than a year )
- getting an approved domain name and real estate ( technically it's not a big of a change. it could be political, which brings me back to my original commentary)
The app gains nothing by being in google proper. So just don’t do it. Focus on what matters most not on being technically correct.
Or Google gets sued and pays fines that exceed the value of the company. As evidenced in this thread, Google is increasingly losing goodwill and trust from tech people. This product that has good content but seemingly haphazardly rolled out isn't helping.
Maybe the solution is for Google to stop acquiring companies unless they have a streamlined pathway to integration and an environment which those companies thrive.