Registering new gTLDs was never exclusive to domains.google.com (and I think such is disallowed by ICANN), so it sounds like registry is untouched.
True, but they had better pricing on all their own registry domains. I'm wondering if I have to pay more now xD, or if SquareSpace will continue the price discount.
(Also you are correct for most domains. If they don't have a Specfication 9 exemption in their registry contract (or Specification 13 in the newer registry agreements), they are general availability)
I am wondering this too. I waited years hoping the .ing gTLD would be released, and it never happened.
At least when it started Google was a reseller for Go Daddy. Did that ever change?
I hadn't heard about that. It always seemed like an all-Google affair for the registry services. They filed a lot of gTLD applications under the name "Charleston Road Registry"
That might be true of their registries. Early Google domains was a private label API customer of Go Daddy, though. Go Daddy had been sunsetting API resellers and then Google came in and that plan was scrapped. This was ≈2007-2008.