(Image source: engadget)

BY EVAN THOMAS

The infinity that is Google apparently stops at Blackberry’s door. Google plans to discontinue support for its BlackBerry Gmail application later this month, according to an announcement made on Tuesday.

Starting November 22nd, Google’s dedicated email application for BlackBerry devices will no longer be available for download, and Google will no longer offer support or updates.

GigaOM asks-- why? It was useful! And oh by the way, people still have BlackBerries!

“I understand BlackBerry is not a top priority for Google or one of the other major software vendors, but to kill off a decent app that many of us BlackBerry owners used is just wrong.”

But IntoMobile says this was justifiable homicide. Google is looking out for itself in deciding to put more time and effort into its online interfaces, rather than on separate applications.

“It might be easy to cast this as yet another doom-and-gloom story for RIM, but siding with the web is very much in-line with Google’s ongoing development strategy...”

Gizmodo features editor Joe Brown agrees. He tells Bloomberg Google has always had a focus on the web.

“First thing to remember is that most people don’t access Gmail through an app on their mobile phones. If you have a smartphone, your phone will absolutely usually support Gmail natively in the email client, and the Blackberry is like that; it does that very well. The second thing is that Google doesn’t like apps not because of Apple. Google doesn’t like apps because Google loves the web. And that’s where Google likes to play. They own the web. And if you’re going to be accessing the Internet, they prefer that you do it through the web.”

Laptop Magazine speculates: RIM and BlackBerry have lost momentum. Maybe Google is just cutting its losses.

“Though it may not be a worldwide service outage spanning 5 continents, Google’s termination of support for its own email app on RIM products is not a vote of confidence for the future of the mobile device company...”

Wired says-- that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“This news comes as Google is in the middle of launching the iOS Gmail, although given the quality and attention to detail of that bug-ridden application, maybe Google is doing BlackBerry owners a favor.”

BlackBerry users who already have the app will be able to continue using it come November 22. Google is directing everyone else to its mobile browser interface.

Transcript by Newsy.