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Google said on Wednesday that it would end its Google Answers service, marking a rare decision by the search company to trim its rapidly-expanding portfolio of services as it shifts its product development focus to improving those considered to have the greatest potential.

The admission of defeat also points to an area where Yahoo, though widely seen as still lagging Google in search, has outstripped its arch-rival.

Google Answers, launched four years ago, provides online answers to users' questions by drawing on contributions by real people, rather than the algorithmic search results for which Google is better known.

According to ComScore, in June the service attracted just under 1m users in the US, compared to the 12.3m for the similar Yahoo Answers. Yahoo itself on Wednesday claimed 60m users worldwide for the service.

# posted by Lazzaro : 5:45 PM