Google abolished AI Assistant compatible message application 'Allo', to organize chat · message related services

Google announced that it will organize the message service on the blog posted on 6th December 2018 of the local time. The messaging application "Allo" which supports the Google Assistant function is discontinued, some functions are incorporated into "Messages", and "Hangouts" seems to be strengthened for business use as "Hangouts Chat" and "Hangouts Meet" is.

The latest on Messages, Allo, Duo and Hangouts
https://www.blog.google/products/messages/latest-messages-allo-duo-and-hangouts/

Google to simplify messaging strategy, will support only five messaging apps | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/12/google-promises-to-shut-down-two-of-its-seven-messaging-apps/

Because of "providing a simpler and more integrated communication experience", Google will use the messaging application " message ", the enterprise messaging application " Hangouts Chat ", the same enterprise video conference " Hangouts Meet " , And a video call application " Duo ".

Allo, which is out of service in March 2019, was a messaging application to counter Apple's "iMessage" and "WhatsApp", but Google had set a policy to end investment in Allo in early 2018 It was. With the termination of the service, its main functions are integrated into "message". Users can also export the history of messages on Allo. In the blog I noted that Google learned a lot through Allo, especially incorporating AI assistant features like Google Assistant into a messaging application.

Google Allo - A smart messaging app
https://allo.google.com/

Hangouts will be enhanced in the future as Hangouts Chat , a business messaging platform provided as part of the G Suite, and Hangouts Meet , also a business video conferencing tool. It is said that Hangouts has been widely used within G Suite users so far, and it seems that functions will be further strengthened as a tool for business in the future.

Duo is an application that can make video calls beyond the platforms of Android and iOS platform, and it is said that it will be continued as it is without particular change in this arrangement.