In a move that has been sought for some time, Google has now removed the requirement for new Gmail users to sign up to a Google+ account, which was an unpopular policy introduced in January 2012.

Although the requirement was subtly revoked, insiders told Techcrunch that a large reorganisation of the network was currently underway, which involved a re-classification of Google+ as a ‘platform’ rather than a ‘product’.

The move comes amidst a change in staff, namely Vic Gundotra, often referred to as the ‘father’ of the network, who recently announced that he would be leaving the company after eight years.

Publishing a sincere post on the Google+ website, Gundotra wrote that it was “time for a new journey” and described his colleagues who had worked on Google+ as “invincible dreamers,” who he both loved and promised to miss.

This isn’t the only change that Google has made to the platform in recent months however, as earlier in June, the company admitted to decoupling search results from Google+ author profiles, stating that the idea “isn’t as useful to our users as we’d hoped”.

But this isn’t the end of Google+, at least not yet, as chief executive Larry Page said that Google would continue investing in the platform.

Despite the pledge, critics are persistent in their attacks on the network. Tim Herrera at the Washington Post said:

“Stripped for parts and left to rot in the Internet junkyard, Google Plus has more or less officially become the ghost town the media has been calling it for years.”

Although the platform has had some supporters in the past, as this post from 2011 shows, the future of Google+ is becoming increasingly uncertain, despite being able to boast an audience of 300 million active users.

For the moment however, a Google+ profile is still required to comment on YouTube videos, to make restaurant reviews, or provide ratings on Google Play. But we suspect that it is only a matter of time before these requirements also find their way to the growing Google waste paper bin.