Google (News - Alert) has cleared out yet another service, Google SMS Search, but has done so without an official announcement or acknowledgement. Google SMS Search, as its name suggests, allowed users to search Google by way of text message. Indeed, sending a text with a search query to 466453 (GOOGLE) would result in a response from Google with corresponding information.

This service was a useful way for users of feature phones or those without data plans to still access Google search while on the go. In fact, since many feature phones don't ship with a Web browser, this was the only way for some to easily access Google on a mobile device.

Since Google hasn't officially acknowledged the retirement of SMS Search — the service is still listed on the Google Mobile website, although the actual SMS Search Web page no longer exists — users are left to speculate for now as to why the service was cut. It's fairly likely, though, that the explosive rise in smartphone use worldwide over the last few years led the company to categorize SMS Search as no longer worthwhile.

Considering the recent influx of quality low-cost smartphones, consumers are much less likely to choose a feature phone than ever before, as a low-end Android or Windows Phone (News - Alert) device can be had for only a slightly higher cost. According to ABI Research, low-cost smartphones will account for nearly half of worldwide smartphone shipments by 2018.

Google SMS Search users in North America learned of the service's demise over the weekend when texts sent to 466453 returned the following response: "SMS search has been shut down. You can continue to search the Web at google.com on any device."

Fortunately, there are alternatives to SMS Search, namely 4INFO. Although 4INFO offers limited results compared to Google, it does provide weather information, sports scores and more via SMS through 44636.