Many have speculated about what would happen to Yahoo’s image-hosting offspring Flickr after the (former) internet giant became part of Verizon’s family. While we still don’t know the full impact this acquisition will have on the once mega-popular photo site, Flickr has now given at least something of a hint.
Flickr has offered a photo book service since 2013, allowing users to transform their cloud-based creations into, well, photo books. But in an email sent out to members earlier today, Flickr has revealed that it’s “transitioning” this service over to self-publishing platform Blurb starting from this week (October 16), while it’s also shuttering its wall art print service — which launched in 2014 — completely.
Above: Blurb and Flickr
Founded out of San Francisco in 2005, Blurb lets anyone create, promote, and sell their own books and magazines, though it can also be used by individuals simply wishing to create their own personal photo books. Blurb used to offer Flickr integration via an API, but according to some online reports Flickr changed its API access sometime last year.
The new official tie-up with Blurb is the first piece of news to emerge from Flickr towers in a while, though the company did launch a new visually similar search feature back in March. In the intervening months, the Yahoo brand has been dragged through the sewers with some pretty shocking security flaws that compromised the credentials of all three billion accounts under its wing, but separate security flaws on Flickr itself have also been exposed.
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In March last year, Yahoo revealed it was making its popular auto-uploader cloud-storage tool a premium feature, while later the company announced that it was shutting down Flickr’s commercial licensing and royalty program. And now that two more Flickr services are being discontinued, the writing could be on the wall — especially given the countless alternatives available these days, such as 500px, Amazon Prime Photos, and Google Photos.
At any rate, Flickr members have until December 1, 2017 to complete any in-progress wall art or photo book orders that they have yet to purchase. After that date, the respective online Flickr tools will no longer be available.
You can read the Flickr email to members in full below:
We are transitioning our photo book offering to Blurb and shutting down our wall art offering.
Beginning October 16, 2017 you will be able to connect your Flickr account to Blurb’s online photo book-making tool.
If you are a Flickr Pro member, you will get $35 toward your first Blurb order and $35 toward another order when you renew (with minimum purchase of $70). Learn more here.
If you have wall art or photo books that you haven’t finished, you will have 45 days to do so.
Please follow these steps:
You have until December 1, 2017 to complete any in-progress wall art or photo book orders that you have not purchased. After December 1, 2017, you will not be able to access the Flickr wall art tool or the Flickr photo book tool and your progress will be lost.
If you want to print your old order history, you will need to go to your Flickr Wallet before December 1, 2017. After December 1, 2017, we will remove the wall art and photo book order history. You can manage your new orders on Blurb’s website.
If you have any questions or concerns about the changes, please visit the Flickr Help Forum and share your thoughts.
The Flickr Team
