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...another messenger app by Google?


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Does Google really need another messaging app?

I'd say it sounds exactly like the google we know.

People want a messenger app? Let's make one! Oh, it takes time and energy. Let's shut it down. Oh wait, people want a messenger app. Let's make one. Oh, it takes [........]


Maybe Google will be releasing an entirely new app to adopt this new interoperability spec... we haven't seen a Google messenger being retired in what... almost a full year? :)

Sure, but I think Google has still the advantage of having millions of millions of users already using at least one platform. And if this messenger will be delivered through Android, this will be some hard competition for other messengers

I can’t tell if this is a joke about how many messaging apps Google has made or not…

I think that's where Google Messages is headed unless they somehow decide to put it on other app stores.

It almost seems like launching a messaging app is some sort of rite of passage for a certain kind of PM or engineer at Google.

I'm sure there will be more attempts to come.


I imagine that the idea of this app is that it take over from the previous AOSP messaging app, much like Chrome > Browser, and Photos > Gallery.

It's just Google's continuation of keeping everything under their roof.


Sounds like Google's response to Facebook messenger & open graph.

Definitely agree with most of the commenter's. Sounds like a huge helper for google apps and the SaaS apps built on there.


I wonder if building a messaging app is the secret to promotion at Google. I cant think of any other reason they would have so many.

If Google is really doing this, you'd think they could make messaging and social media apps that are actually competitive.

That is yet to be seen. But generally, Google mainly used to screw up the social applications, so this one should be ok. ;-) And, as it was mentioned, this one is probably needed for Chrome OS.

Wouldn't be surprised if Google, Facebook, or Microsoft suddenly come out with a competing app. Didn't google have one that they shut down recently?

True or not, Google clearly needed yet another messaging service, which they in about a year's time would have messed up and deprecated.

Exactly. It's almost been a year since Allo was released, which means we are due for an announcement of a new messaging app from Google. Likely something that combines Allo and Duo into a single app, and call it something like Trio.

Of course, when they inevitably split "Trio" into separate apps a year after release, they won't be able to stick with the same name convention.


Google needs a messenger + profile play. Snapchat can add profiles (if they don't have one already).

I understand this; that's what I meant by "I understand that Google Apps is a different beast".

Regardless, to the average end user this distinction doesn't matter. I think users will gravitate to what works well and what their friends use.

I really hope this is Google Hangouts instead of Facebook Messages (ugggh).

iMessages has problems of its own (TERRIBLE sync between devices), but it has the huge advantage of working for everyone with an iDevice.

What I really want:

1) a service that works seamlessly between any device (like iMessages is supposed to for iOS and OS X)

2) this service should be platform-agnostic, working on any computer or mobile device

3) it should be federated like Jabber so we don't have to depend on one company

4) comparable features with the existing services: read receipts, group chat, push notifications

I hope Google Hangouts is exactly this, and that they let me enable it for my Google Apps account.


I was thinking of Google Apps.

I don't think Google would release any non-Web clients. Just look at the sorrow state of Google Talk.

It's would most likely to be a browser plugin based on Gears or HTL5


Or any other google product for similar reasons.
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