Hi Alex,
In first of all, as always, many thanks for your answer. I want reply to you because you demonstrate in past to hear my words and I appreciate too much that (thank you and sorry for my English, be patient).
I'm really surprised by your words, especially since you are a developer. I'll try to be brief so as not to bore you:
1 - We are speaking about this issue because I believe, I'm sure, that the JFBConnect Social Channels feature is one of the best and helpful (for sites growing) JFBConnect features.
2 - In internet everything is in motion, is growing, always. What happened to MSN? Yet in the 2000 was the most used, yet today it is been included in Skype. How many times have you had to upgrade for the changes of Facebook? So we do nothing because tomorrow things will change? Today you do not use Gmail because tomorrow you will use (maybe) InBox?
3 - We have to look at today (with an eye to the future). Today you give attention to "Socials" (Yahoo, Twitter, LinkedIN, Microsoft) that cover more less than 5% of the users and not by careful Google+ covering 40%? Source:
www.sourcecoast.com/blog It does not seem logical.
4 - As a developer you know which is made better (in terms of the characteristics and potential), the answer is one: Goggle +. Facebook is much less "simple" and above all much less integrated! (Gapps).
5 - As a developer you know that something is changing in the use of Socials: Facebook purchased WhatsApp but it hasn't included it into the Facebook App, but is bringing its features in Messenger that is undergoing a big mutation. (Personally, I think the old way of doing Socials, Facebook, will "die"/""change" soon because people love the simplicity and WhatsApp is the prove).
6 - Google recently tried to bring together all under Google+ (Do you remember also the changes on gmail accounts?), but she realized that it is not time yet, so he stepped back into the strategy, but not in the objective end! Hangout is growing at an impressive pace (it is already far ahead compared to Skype and WhatsApp), to make it grow has been separated from Google+, but this does not mean that it loses compatibility/intergration! You know, it's also a matter of market assessment and recall new users, Facebook now has Facebook (1.000.000.000 of users) and WhatsApp (500 million), are two public companies, but if you join it you will never have 1.500.000.000 of users! Indeed, perhaps someone will go because he wanted only one function and the total could be 750 million, so in the financial market half of the value!
7 - For example: Hangout growth as an App has forced Google to release "Messenger" which is actually a piece of Hangout, but in practice allows the spread of Google Android (on which can not impose the installation of Hangout to producers, but Android need a "Messenger" built in).
8 - "Pictures" is undergoing the same evolution, if you keep the "Pictures" in Google+ it blocks the spread, can not be pre-installed on Android. Should separate it as App (this also facilitates the development in programming). But not to say that "Pictures" will not be connected with Goggle+ etc., but just that is ripe to be in its own right, but more integrated (now ready "to be one" with Drive, for example).
9 - Google has demonstrate in the past that he never abandoned the developers, of course sometimes you have to make drastic decisions.
10 - I believe the Events managing is real Socials plus. The Google+ Events in much better than Facebook Events.
11 - "Their API hasn't been updated in over 6 months". This does not mean that Google+ is dieing, but that something good news are coming. Google+ is not died, recently I tested on my Gmail the new Contacts sections. Have you tested it? (Just go in Gmail > Contacts > on the left menu scroll down and click on "Test new Contacts preview). The preview does remember anything to you? (Google+). The next step sure will be the Contacts Groups/Circles integration/fusion.
12 - I know you worked on Google+ Social Channel feature after my suggestion/request (I saw your test on Google+) with good results.
I have to stop because as I sad I don't want to bore you.
I still hope to see this integration soon, maybe before the next release