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Google Jamboard: Difference between revisions

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|Description=A $4,999 cloud-connected digital whiteboard that was remotely disabled by Google, converting expensive hardware into basic displays.
|Description=A $4,999 cloud-connected digital whiteboard that was remotely disabled by Google, converting expensive hardware into basic displays.
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'''[[wikipedia:Jamboard|Google Jamboard]]''' was a $4,999 interactive digital whiteboard launched in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/23/15680250/google-jamboard-digital-whiteboard-hands-on-video|title=Google made a $5,000 whiteboard — and it’s weirdly fun|first=Jacob|last=Kastrenakes|work=The Verge|date=2017-05-23|access-date=2025-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428131124/https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/23/15680250/google-jamboard-digital-whiteboard-hands-on-video|archive-date=2025-04-28|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2023, Google announced in that Google Jamboard would have its primary features disabled by October 2024 and all user data permanently deleted by December 2024.<ref name="Google24">{{cite web |title=Google Jamboard is winding down |url=https://support.google.com/jamboard/answer/14084927?hl=en |publisher=Google Support|access-date=2025-09-01}}</ref>
==Consumer-impact summary==
==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}
====Freedom====
Google Jamboard was a $4,999 interactive digital whiteboard launched in 2017 that demonstrates modern anti-ownership practices through remote deactivation. Organizations including schools & businesses invested $4,999 per device for this collaborative device that Google announced in September 2023 would have its primary features disabled by October 2024 & and all user data permanently deleted by December 2024. The shutdown shows how companies can revoke core functionality of purchased products through server-side termination, turning expensive high-tech devices into junk regardless of hardware condition or customer preference.
According to the Jamboard hardware agreement, "Google is under no obligation to provide Customer with Hardware, Hardware replacement, Hardware updates, or Hardware support under this Agreement."<ref name="JBHA">{{Cite web|url=https://workspace.google.com/terms/jamboard/|title=Jamboard Hardware Agreement|work=Google Workspace|access-date=2025-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250615031347/https://workspace.google.com/terms/jamboard/|archive-date=2025-06-15|url-status=live}}</ref> Users are prohibited from the following actions: "adapt, alter, modify, decompile, translate, disassemble, or reverse engineer the Service and/or the Hardware".<ref name="JBHA" />
====Privacy====
Jamboard utilized the same privacy policy as all Google services in Google Drive, which states "we will not use a Private document for marketing or promotional campaigns" and "we will not change a Private document into a Public one."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2450387?hl=en|title=Google Drive Terms of Service|date=2020-03-31|work=Google Drive|access-date=2025-09-01}}</ref>
 
====Business model====
Google received revenue from the upfront sale of the Jamboard whiteboards alongside Workspace (previously G-Suite) subscriptions from educational and business establishments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.techlearning.com/features/how-to-use-google-jamboard-for-teachers|title=Using Google Jamboard Before It Is Shut Down in 2025|first=Luke|last=Edwards|date=2024-09-09|work=Tech Learning|access-date=2025-09-01}}</ref>
 
====Market control====
Google Jamboard did not occupy a dominant position in the market.{{Citation needed}} Other brands of smart white boards include [[Microsoft]]'s Surface Hub, and [[Avocor]]'s Series One Board and Deck.<ref name="GD">{{cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=The next phase of digital whiteboarding for Google Workspace |url=https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/09/the-next-phase-of-digital-whiteboarding-for-google-workspace.html |publisher=Google Workspace Updates}}</ref> On the software side, there is FigJam, Lucidspark, and Miro.<ref name="GD" />


==Incidents==
==Incidents==
===Remote deactivation & forced obsolescence (''September 28, 2023'')===
===Remote deactivation & forced obsolescence===
On September 28, 2023, Google announced the complete shutdown of Jamboard. They created a timeline that would disable all cloud features by October 1, 2024, and permanently delete all user data by December 31, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=Google shutting down Jamboard, offering transition to other whiteboard apps |url=https://9to5google.com/2023/09/28/google-jamboard/ |publisher=9to5Google}}</ref> This decision affects organizations that paid $4,999 per device plus $600 annual management fees, with educational institutions particularly impacted as they built curriculums around the platform.<ref>{{cite web |title=$5,000 Google Jamboard Dies In 2024 -- Cloud-Based Apps Will Stop Working, Too |url=https://tech.slashdot.org/story/23/09/29/1951233/5000-google-jamboard-dies-in-2024----cloud-based-apps-will-stop-working-too |publisher=Slashdot}}</ref>
''Main article: [[Google Jamboard shutdown]]''


The shutdown converts devices into "unlicensed mode" where they can't save content, use Google Meet, or do any cloud-connected function. After December 31, 2024, the devices lose about 90% of their capabilities, functioning only as basic HDMI displays despite their sophisticated hardware being in-tact.<ref>{{cite web |title=Google Jamboard is winding down |url=https://support.google.com/jamboard/answer/14084927?hl=en |publisher=Google Support}}</ref>
On September 28, 2023, Google announced the complete shutdown of Jamboard. They created a timeline that would disable all cloud features by October 1, 2024 and permanently delete all user data by December 31, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=Google shutting down Jamboard, offering transition to other whiteboard apps |url=https://9to5google.com/2023/09/28/google-jamboard/ |publisher=9to5Google}}</ref> This decision affected many organizations that paid $4,999 per device plus $600 annual management fees. Educational institutions were particularly impacted, as the deactivation affected curriculum they had built around the platform.<ref>{{cite web |title=$5,000 Google Jamboard Dies In 2024 -- Cloud-Based Apps Will Stop Working, Too |url=https://tech.slashdot.org/story/23/09/29/1951233/5000-google-jamboard-dies-in-2024----cloud-based-apps-will-stop-working-too |publisher=Slashdot|date=2023-09-29|author=BeauHD}}</ref>


===Data loss & forced migration (''December 31, 2024'')===
The shutdown converted devices into "unlicensed mode" where they could not save content, use Google Meet, or use any cloud-connected functions. After December 31, 2024, the devices lost about 90% of their capabilities, functioning only as basic HDMI displays.<ref name="Google24" />
Google's shutdown includes permanent deletion of all user-created content ("Jams") on December 31, 2024, forcing organizations to manually export years of collaborative work. The company offers only "best-effort" PDF conversion, with users reporting blank PDFs & loss of interactive elements.<ref>{{cite web |title=Export your jams |url=https://support.google.com/jamboard/answer/13864841?hl=en |publisher=Google Support}}</ref>  


Educational institutions report losing hundreds of lesson plans integrated into their teaching workflows, with one Change.org petition gathering 498 supporters highlighting the impact on "youngest English language learners" & COVID-era remote learning materials.<ref>{{cite web |title=Petition · Save Jamboard |url=https://www.change.org/p/save-jamboard |publisher=Change.org}}</ref> The forced migration to alternative platforms like FigJam, Miro, or Lucidspark required additional investments of more than $7,000 per replacement when including new hardware, software subscriptions, & implementation costs.
====Data loss & forced migration====
Google's shutdown included permanent deletion of all user-created content ("Jams") on December 31, 2024, forcing organizations to manually export years of collaborative work. The company offered only "best-effort" PDF conversion, with users reporting blank PDFs and loss of interactive elements.<ref>{{cite web |title=Export your jams |url=https://support.google.com/jamboard/answer/13864841?hl=en |publisher=Google Support|access-date=2025-09-01}}</ref>  


===Lack of compensation for hardware purchasers (''2024'')===
Educational institutions reported losing hundreds of lesson plans integrated into their teaching workflows, with one Change.org petition gathering 498 supporters highlighting the impact on "youngest English language learners" and COVID-era remote learning materials.<ref>{{cite web |title=Petition · Save Jamboard |url=https://www.change.org/p/save-jamboard |publisher=Change.org}}</ref> The forced migration to alternative platforms like FigJam, Miro, or Lucidspark required additional investments of more than $7,000 per replacement when including new hardware, software subscriptions, and implementation costs.
Despite the very large up-front financial investment by customers, Google offered zero hardware compensation for non-educational buyers who purchased the $4,999 devices. Educational institutions received only vague promises of compensation "on a partner-by-partner basis" without specific details.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=The next phase of digital whiteboarding for Google Workspace |url=https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/09/the-next-phase-of-digital-whiteboarding-for-google-workspace.html |publisher=Google Workspace Updates}}</ref>


The devices couldn't run alternative software due to locked bootloaders & proprietary firmware, making them permanently obsolete once Google's servers shut down. A group of tech-savvy individuals on XDA-developers forum ported lineageOS to the devices so they may have increased functionality. <ref>{{Cite web |title=[UNOFFICIAL] LineageOS 22 for the Google Jamboard - WIP {{!}} XDA Forums |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/unofficial-lineageos-22-for-the-google-jamboard-wip.4755529/ |access-date=2025-09-01 |website=XDA-Forums}}</ref> Factory resets prompt for activation codes that can't be obtained, which results in the hardware becoming e-waste regardless of physical condition.
====Lack of compensation for hardware purchasers====
Despite the very large up-front financial investment by customers, Google offered zero hardware compensation for non-educational buyers who purchased the devices. Educational institutions received only vague promises of compensation "on a partner-by-partner basis" without specific details.<ref name="GD" /> <sup>[more info needed: what, if anything, did schools typically receive?]</sup>
 
The devices cannot run alternative software due to locked bootloaders and proprietary firmware, making them permanently obsolete once Google's servers shut down. A group of tech-savvy individuals on the XDA-developers forum ported lineageOS to the devices to give them increased functionality. <ref>{{Cite web |title=[UNOFFICIAL] LineageOS 22 for the Google Jamboard - WIP {{!}} XDA Forums |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/unofficial-lineageos-22-for-the-google-jamboard-wip.4755529/ |access-date=2025-09-01 |website=XDA-Forums|author=npjohnson|date=2025-08-21}}</ref> Factory resets prompt users to enter activation codes that cannot be obtained.


==See also==
==See also==
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://sites.google.com/eastpennsd.org/epsdtech/elementary/google/google-jamboard Google Jamboard introduction/tutorial (unofficial)]


[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Google]]
[[Category:Remote deactivation]]
[[Category:Educational technology]]
[[Category:2024 shutdowns]]
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