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Google's Allo messenger waves goodbye
Google announced last year that it's shutting down Allo, its smart messaging app, in March 2019. Apparently, the time is now. A banner across Allo's official website clearly states that the app is saying goodbye on March 12th, and you'll have to export your chats if you don't want them to vanish into the ether. Allo's Help page says you can download your conversations and all the photos, videos and files in them by going into Chat under Settings. All your messages will be saved as a CSV file, while your media will be downloaded as a zip package.
Google’s messaging app strategy is still a mess
The rumors were true. Google is killing Allo, its smart messaging app, for good. The platform will "continue to work through March 2019," the company said in a blog post, and users can export their conversation history until then. The so-called "classic" version of Google Hangouts, meanwhile, is slowly being sunset too. In a convoluted Twitter exchange, Scott Johnston, the head of Hangouts and Google Voice, explained to Stephen Hall, a 9to5Google reporter, that Hangouts users will eventually be upgraded to Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet, a Slack-like competitor and video chat service aimed at businesses and other GSuite customers. This sucks.
Google's chat plans: Kill Allo, upgrade Duo and invest in Messages
Confirming the latest rumors, Google has formally announced a shakeup in its increasingly-splintered messaging strategy. As we'd heard earlier today, Allo is done and will go away after March 2019 (users can export their conversation history until then). It launched a little over two years ago and incubated a number of messaging features with AI, but now it's focusing on its RCS-enabled Messages app, which has already absorbed Allo features like Smart Reply, GIFs and desktop support.
Google may shut down its Allo messaging app 'soon'
The 'classic' version of Hangouts might not be the only Google chat service on the chopping block. A source talking to 9to5Google claims the company will shut down Allo "soon." While the apparent insider didn't explicitly say why it would switch off the messaging service, it's most likely due to both shifting priorities at the company and a general lack of interest.
Rumor claims Google Hangouts will shut down in 2020 (updated)
Stop us if you've heard this one before: there's a report that Google is considering either launching or shutting down a messaging app. 9to5Google said that based on a "source familiar with the product's internal roadmap," Google Hangouts as a consumer product will come to an end in 2020. Whether or not that holds up remains to be seen, and Google isn't officially saying anything about the app's future, but the writing has been on the wall since... forever?
Google Gboard can use selfies to create a 'Mini' version of you
If you want to send friends custom emoji using Gboard, you can either tap into your Bitmoji sticker collection... or use the keyboard's latest feature. Google has launched "Mini" stickers for iOS and Android, which use machine learning to craft personalized emoji from your photo. More precisely, the feature uses a combination of machine learning, neural networks and artist illustrations to conjure up the best representation of you, taking into account various characteristics like your skin tone, hair color and style, eye color, face shape and facial hair. Just access Mini from within Gboard and start the creation process by taking a selfie. It will then automatically create your avatar and generate packs of stickers you can use.
Google is resurrecting blob emoji again
Fans of Google's now-dead blob emoji have a reason to be happy today. The company announced that it's resurrecting its cute, flatly designed characters, albeit as a sticker pack for Gboard and Android Messages. What's the occasion? Well, it's World Emoji Day, of course. This isn't a direct replacement for the standard circular emoji Google adopted after unceremoniously killing its own version off, but if you're feeling nostalgic for a time before Android O it should do the trick.
Google will plug 'Chat' into Android to compete with iMessage
Stop us if you've heard this one before: Google is planning to make another mobile messaging push. A report by The Verge shows off its next effort, simply called Chat. What Chat isn't is yet another app; instead, it's a brand name for Universal Profile features in RCS, a standard meant to replace old-school SMS texting with iMessage-like features (minus end-to-end encryption, unfortunately) for everyone. Earlier this year Google said it had 43 carriers and device makes signed on to support RCS, while an updated list shows 55 carriers, 11 OEMS and two operating system distributors: Google and Microsoft (but not Apple, yet).
Google explores texting from your browser
Google's Android Messages app could soon get a dramatic makeover with some interesting new features, judging by an APK teardown by XDA Developers and Android Police. Most significantly, it looks like you'll be able to pair your phone with a computer and text directly from a browser like Chrome, Firefox and Safari, much as you can with Google's Allo messaging app.
Google Duo allows you to call people who don’t have the app
Duo is Google's video calling app, and it looks like the tech giant wants to spread the word about it. According to Android Police, Duo users can now call people who don't have the app installed and who haven't registered with the service. It works like any other Duo communication, except that at the end of any call, recipients who don't have the app installed will then be prompted to install Duo. They also have the option to decline future Duo calls from that person. We've contacted Google for confirmation.
Google's Allo messaging may link to your email account
Google has been going out of its way to keep Allo relevant, but there's been one glaring issue: you need a phone number to sign up. How's it going to compete with iMessage or Facebook Messenger if there needs to be a phone involved at some point? You might not need one soon... or at least, you'll be less dependent on it. The 9to5Google crew has sifted through the code of Allo's latest Android release and discovered hidden references to chatting with Gmail contacts once you connect your account. You could find people through their email addresses once you've linked things up, too.
Allo web chat now works in browsers other than Chrome
When Google brought its Allo chat app to the web, it only supported Chrome. That partly defeats the point of an app-independent client, doesn't it? Thankfully, Google agrees. It just expanded Allo's web support to get it running on Firefox, Opera and iOS devices (including Chrome and Safari). You do have to start by scanning a QR code on the desktop using your phone, which is more than a little unwieldy, but this does mean you don't have to live within Google's software ecosystem just to avoid a native app. No, this probably won't get you to ditch Hangouts or another messaging app, but it does open the door to those who otherwise wouldn't give it a shot.
Google Allo finally offers web chat, but it's only for Android users
Allo, Google's beleaguered chat app that arrived on the iPhone and Android devices last year, finally has a web counterpart. Just a few minutes ago, Amit Fulay (head of product for Allo and video chat app Duo) tweeted that Allo for the web was available, but only for Android phones. To give it a go, you'll need to open the Allo app on your device and use that to scan a QR code you can generate at this link.
Google's latest addition to Allo is custom GIFs of your face
It seems like Google hopes tickling your funnybone will keep its Allo chat app installed on your phone. The latest update adds selfie clips so you can add a personalized touch to your responses. Essentially, they're just looped GIFs made from a video of whatever's in front of your phone's camera. Allo's head of product Amit Fulay tweeted the info out earlier today, including the GIF below. In the thread, Fulay says that the update is available to all users. Now, it's worth noting that this sort of thing has been available via Giphy Cam before, but it being built directly into Allo (among the recent slew of updates) suggests that Google isn't giving up on its latest chat app just yet.
Google’s impersonal-but-handy Smart Replies come to the Gmail app
Google's "instant reply" technology, that can already be found in Inbox and Allo, is coming to the Gmail app for iOS and Android. If you've never used instant reply before, Google uses its machine learning smarts to analyze the contents of your messages to suggest quick replies. You then just tap and insert your chosen reply into a new email, hit send and call it a day.
Google' Allo chat app crafts custom emoji using your selfies
Google's Allo chat program is still missing some basic features, but hey, you're a fan of Bitmoji right? That's the line of thinking for the app's latest add-on: personalized emojis, made from your face. Unlike Snapchat's Bitmoji, though, Google's version relies on computer vision and neural networks to craft a likeness from your selfies. Yup, algorithms are being tapped to draw your face.
Google hopes new languages keep you from saying 'adios' to Allo
When Google released its Allo chat app late last year, the accompanying chatbot known as Google Assistant was only able to offer helpful advice and Smart Replies in English. Knowing full well that you can't have an international chat assistant without supporting multiple languages, Google eventually introduced support for German, Hindi and Japanese as well. Today, that repertoire grows even larger as Assistant in Allo now supports two of the most popular languages in the world: French and Spanish.
Google is still adding basic chat features to Allo
Slowly, Google is bringing its Allo chat app's basic functionality up to speed with the likes of iMessage and Telegram. The application's latest update adds the encrypted incognito mode to group chats (previously it was only available in one-on-one conversations). As Droid Life notes, you can even set an expiration timer for when your conversation goes out of incognito mode. Then there are link previews, which many other chat apps have had for awhile now. But hey, having Assistant in your chats from the get-go was impressive, right?
Google insists Hangouts for consumers isn't going away
After announcing their new AI-powered chat platforms Allo and Duo last September, Google seems to be sunsetting the old and busted Hangouts in favor of their new hotness. Several other announcements seemed to confirm that strategy, including a Hangouts app specially tooled for enterprise the search giant introduced yesterday. What that means for the consumer version in the long run is unclear, but head of product for Allo and Duo Amit Fulay assured that it's not going anywhere, at least for now.
Google Assistant starts rolling out to Android M and N devices
It's here: native support for Google Assistant officially started rolling out to Android phones running Marshmallow or Nougat on Thursday. As Engadget noted earlier in the week, Google's conversational digital assistant no longer needs a Pixel phone or the Allo app to work, but you may need to check your phone's specs before you get access.
