Google Apps Leaves the Beta Label Behind

It took a little over a year, but the day has finally come: Google is removing the beta label from the entire Google Apps suite of products today, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs and Talk. Google hopes today’s move will eradicate the stigma some companies have harbored towards using its Apps products, thus increasing the likelihood they will buy Apps subscriptions.

Google has been steadily innovating its Apps product since it first launched for business customers in February 2007, with more than 50 new features added to the Apps suite in 2009 alone, such as the ability to sync Apps with Microsoft Outlook. While large companies such as Genentech and Fairchild Semiconductor have signed up for Apps subscriptions, Google said others were deterred from doing so because of the beta label tied to the suite of products. Unlike Google Apps, the company’s Chrome browser left beta status in less than a year.

Read more: gigaom.com