productivity

Wunderlist

wunderlist.com | Shut down May 6, 2020

A loved to-do app bought by Microsoft and switched off for a replacement.

What it did

Wunderlist was a cross-platform to-do and shared list app known for a clean interface and easy collaboration.

The facts, as reported

Microsoft acquired Wunderlist in 2015, launched To Do as the successor, and shut Wunderlist down on May 6, 2020, directing users to import their lists.

Wunderlist (Wikipedia)
reporting | 5/6/2020
"Microsoft retired Wunderlist on May 6, 2020, directing users to Microsoft To Do."

Marketur analysis, not fact

The acquirer bought the team and the ideas, not the product. That is a normal outcome and users rarely price it in at signup. The founder even offered publicly to buy it back and still could not keep it alive.

What to take from it

An acquisition usually ends the acquired product, on the acquirer's schedule.
Migration paths reduce pain but do not preserve a workflow.
Judge tools by who owns them and what they gain from keeping them.