Is the implication here that Google would like to do this but cannot because it doesn't have enough time and resources? If that is the case and they care for op

Is the implication here that Google would like to do this but cannot because it doesn't have enough time and resources? If that is the case and they care for openness, why not just wait to kill their open product until they are able to do the right thing according to their values with the new product? After all, Talk already exists and works. It is hard to say whether Google as an organization is something you can characterize as "nice" or "mean" but the actions taken here have clear implications. They are deleting the open protocol and replacing it with a proprietary one. Whether their heart is in the right place or they just have some rotten circumstances to deal with doesn't matter really. Perhaps Microsoft with Skype might say that they are closed on purpose but Google will say they are closed by accident because, well, you know, of all the things they can do, this is the one that is too hard. But it doesn't matter. It is the exact same effect.