It started simple: reactions, replies, mentions, dark mode for chat. Then I added auto-join, auto-mute, transcription tools, lobby notifications, attendee shuffling. Basically all the things you wish Meet chat had by default.

People loved it. 5-star reviews. Steady installs. Real usage.

And then, after many years of lackluster chat, Google announced they’re integrating Meet chat directly with Google Chat — persistent conversations, reactions, file sharing, the works.

Which means… the exact surface area I built on top of is becoming a first-party feature.

On one hand, this validates the idea. The direction was right. The need was real.

On the other hand, platform risk just punched me in the face.

When you build on top of a giant platform, you’re effectively prototyping features for them. If the feature works, they absorb it. If it doesn’t, you disappear quietly. Either way, they win.

Now I’m thinking through:

Do I pivot to power-user tools Google won’t prioritize?

Double down on automation and workflow features?

Move away from chat and toward meeting intelligence?

Or accept that consumer Chrome extensions sitting on core UI are inherently fragile?

Curious how other builders here think about platform dependency.

Have you ever had your product “Sherlocked” by the platform you’re building on? What did you do next?