Google Plus branding removed from notifications and menu bar, as social media site slowly disappears from the internet

The social features are gradually being moved away, and the Google Plus branding seems to be disappearing

Google is removing Google Plus from some of the most prominent parts of its branding, in yet another sign that the social network is gradually disappearing.

The little icon at the top right hand corner of Google’s pages used to be called “Google+ notifications”, but it has now lost the “+”, and is branded only as “Google notifications”. Similarly, the small “+” that appeared near it has disappeared, with the link to the social network being moved instead to the full app.

The network seems to be slowly being removed from search results, too. Once, searching someone’s name or for a business displayed their Google Plus profile prominently, but that appears to be moving the rankings.

Many of the most well-known features of Google Plus still exist, including its much-praised photo editing and sharing capabilities. But they are being gradually moved into their own apps, with Photos most recently being split off from the social site and integrated into a standalone download.