Google's SOAP search API now closed!

This is interesting... google has closed their SOAP-based Search API. I know the AJAX based one is now there but surely the SOAP one was a great way of "web servicing up" their search interface, with the corresponding WSDL providing a comprehensive service description. Perhaps the SOAP one was too flexible, allowing UI "cloaking" of the google engine behind the searching and manipulation of the search results?