Euh... google has been doing this for sometime now! All link builders know that irrelevant links are not much use (other than the # of links you have to show off), but does not improve your rankings, specially in competitive niches.
IMHO, I don't really think this should be considered as NEWS !!! It's 101 SEO, and no need for source.. Relevant links are more valuable than irrelevant links
Since more and more people are using Google browser and Google tool bar. It is going to have more will use Google OS. Goolgle shall be able to know what are useful or useless backlinks. I think It is a good and fair way that google lower down those old time with no traffics articles, posts or sites info rates .
Backlinks will still remain relevant in SERP, but Google is basing its search on branding rather than just tonnes of backlinks. You can read some high profile blogs about Google "Branding" the search results.
Is OP trying to make a mountain out of a mole? I thought it was already a well known fact that back links from relevant sites always carried more weight than those from the others. I wonder, what is so big deal about it...now! Regards, RightMan
Making big changes in Google is not a easy task . they can take few small steps but something like this is not possible right now .
it is a rummer, i think. to consider a site is good or not, backlinks is very important for you to judge.
I know that google gives more importance to relevant links, but is there any negative point of irrelevant backlinks...
I sure hope not! I also wonder if that means that all existing links will have less weighting, or just the new ones gained.