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Google Allo Messaging App Launches For iOS and Android (phonedog.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the sending-and-receiving dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Google has officially launched their long-awaited messaging app for iOS and Android, called Google Allo. There are several unique features associated with this app that Google hopes will win you over. Smart Reply lets you respond to messages with just a tap, so you can send a quick "yup" in response to a friend asking "Are you on your way?" It will also suggest responses for photos. For example, if you send a picture of a dog, Smart Reply might suggest a heart emoji or "Super cute!" message, which you can select and send with a tap. Google says Smart Reply will improve over time and adjust to your style. You can also send large or small text and emojis, as well as draw on pictures. There's an incognito mode that will activate end-to-end encryption, discreet notifications, and message expiration on your chats. Arguably best of all is the Google Assistant that can be added to your chats to automatically cater useful information to you depending on what is being conversed in the chat. For example, it can deliver news, weather, traffic, sports or your upcoming flight status to your chat. You can also ask your Assistant to "share that funny YouTube video or play games with friends right in your group chat." Google Allo is rolling out to Android and iOS starting today.

19 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. Automated Insincerity by mbeckman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is one kind of AI that computers might well excel at. By automating our insincerity, we'll have more time to hunt for pokemonsters, and to while away on Twitter (aka Automated Impropriety).

  2. Google Messenger by cheesybagel · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So what happened to Google Messenger? Right. They crippled it, stopped updating the application binary, and forced everyone to use a crap HTML 5 version of it inside GMail. That's what happened.

    I don't get the need to constantly rename the same thing over and over. Just don't kill products that people actually like that work Google.

    1. Re:Google Messenger by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's missing the one killer feature every messaging app needs anyway: full end to end encryption that is on by default.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    2. Re:Google Messenger by cheesybagel · · Score: 2

      So you are telling me that Google Talk, I mean XMPP, doesn't support encryption? BS. What the news are calling the "new feature" of Allo is an AI that automagically guesses what you want to say so you have to type less. Sounds more like something that is sending data back to the server so they can datamine it to me.

    3. Re:Google Messenger by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2

      Encryption is supported but not enabled by default. You have to make every conversation private manually.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    4. Re:Google Messenger by bickerdyke · · Score: 2

      No. Google Assistant is that AI that does these guesses, Allo Allo is a messenger app. (I can't help typing this with a fake french accent in my head)

      But I wonder why Assistant couldn't be integrated in an existing platform.

      --
      bickerdyke
    5. Re:Google Messenger by cjjjer · · Score: 2

      Yeah and this in 4 years too...

    6. Re:Google Messenger by unixisc · · Score: 3, Insightful

      So what happened to Google Messenger? Right. They crippled it, stopped updating the application binary, and forced everyone to use a crap HTML 5 version of it inside GMail. That's what happened.

      I don't get the need to constantly rename the same thing over and over. Just don't kill products that people actually like that work Google.

      Part of what I was wondering. How many freaking messaging apps do we need? Aside from Google Messenger, there is also Message+, Messaging, Hangouts, Duo, all this just from Google itself. (Aside from which, I have WhatsApp.) In the meantime, quite a number of these are not there on the tablet, or if they are, they refuse to use the tablet's own cellular phone#, instead asking to use one's registered phone# (in which case, why wouldn't I just stick to the phone?) As an example, FaceTime works on both iPhones and iPads, and doesn't require a phone# on the latter. Duo doesn't work on Android tablets, just phones. So now they'll do something else for that, I guess?

      Dear Google, the messaging market is by now pretty mature - not only by your own myriad offerings, but also others in the Play Store. Might as well focus on more interesting things, like maybe your own version of Pokémon Go

    7. Re:Google Messenger by ripvlan · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I'm having the same confusion. I've read the blogs and understand why the keep refactoring and refactoring. But now I'm confused by what app I should be using.

      Google Voice has a "chat" (SMS) app that totally sucks. Wait - isn't Hangout supposed to fix this? (no). Now I'm using Hangout - but Voice in GMail (browser) is what pops up.

      And if I'm using Allo - who can I chat with? FB users? iMessage? SMS? Just my Google+ friends? The pie is the whole world but this slice is thin. I've given up trying to use 5 apps tied to an experience. SMS is the universal - I go there first. Since that is iMessage for me I get the added feature bonus when chatting with fellow Apple users....but I don't care. I don't use FB messenger because - that's on FB. Hangout? That's only G+. Having to remember which app works for each person is mind boggling - just use SMS platform of the phone. done. Now - if I don't have their phone# I'll use the app. But that's easier to remember.

  3. Ah... Google Talk how I miss you... by cheesybagel · · Score: 3, Informative

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

  4. Allo launched.... by phantomfive · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ......and became discontinued shortly after gaining popularity.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    1. Re:Allo launched.... by Opportunist · · Score: 3

      Google is a hipster company. They only support stuff before it gets cool.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  5. Tagline... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I shall say this only once...

    1. Re:Tagline... by tom17 · · Score: 2

      Good Moning.

  6. After careful consideration, we have decided to by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    After careful consideration, we have decided to discontinue the Allo Messaging App, so that we can focus on our core user experience.

    We would like to thank everybody who used Allo, and recommend that existing users switch to our Hey! App.

  7. Great by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    Now I can replace myself with a very small script. And be social despite being an antisocial asshole who can't be assed to spend half a minute reading a message and ten more seconds replying to it.

    If both people have that app, they can essentially let their phones be friends and needn't even know that they befriended each other. Or you can stay "in touch" with a friend without all the hassle of human-human interaction, just let your phone stay in contact with his phone to create the illusion that you still talk to each other, kinda like an old married couple.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  8. Re:SubjectsInCommentsAreStupidCauseTheSubjectIsTFA by lesincompetent · · Score: 2

    Ok so hangouts (which currently does both) is the one getting phased out?
    But then again... why separate?
    Who the hell is making such a mess at google? A typewriting chimp?

  9. Re: Free market in communications by tepples · · Score: 2

    Correction: iMessage/FaceTime is available on two platforms: iOS and macOS. It's not like WhatsApp, which is unavailable to computer-only users by design.

  10. Where are the Desktop client? by fateblossom · · Score: 2

    One thing I really like about Hangouts is that it has a Desktop client/Chrome Extension. Whatever you call it. I can chat on my computer without taking my phone out of my pocket.

    A Quick look and it what I could see then there only a phone client. And you can only have it active on one device at the time. So no Tablet and Phone active at the same time. (I know that it runs on phone number. But you could just verify the new login with manual entering a code on the tablet/Desktop. Og even make it optional to link to your Google Account.)