Google killing Allo messaging service, sending iOS users elsewhere

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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Allo, once the vanguard platform of Google's plans for messaging, will officially shut down in March 2019.

Google Allo


Until April people will be able to export any existing conversation histories they have, Google said in a blog post. Allo was originally launched in September 2016, and blended in machine learning technology such as Google Assistant.

The platform never gained widespread popularity however, and features like Smart Reply, GIFs, and desktop support were eventually wrapped backed into the Android Messages app. Development efforts will now concentrate on Messages.

Allo is available for both iPhone and Android. On the former, Allo users will have to switch to alternatives like iOS Messages, Signal, Telegram, or Facebook Messenger.

GIFs and desktop clients are now fairly common for messaging platforms such as Apple's. Google's Smart Reply is still fairly unique though, suggesting common ways of responding to someone based on contextual information.

Google is dependent on iOS customers not so much for app reach as search and advertising. The company is believed to have paid Apple $9 billion or more to remain the default search engine in Safari, exposing iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to its ad network.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    AppleExposedappleexposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member

    Google killing Allo messaging service, sending iOS users elsewhere....

    ...to like iMessage?



    Guess it didn't stick? Surprised google didn't change the name to hide the failure. Change it to something like Android Messages or gMessage. Like they usually do.
    edited December 2018
    cornchipwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 2 of 17
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,165member
    Something new and different.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 17
    roundaboutnowroundaboutnow Posts: 766member
    AppleInsider said:
    .... Google's Smart Reply is still fairly unique though, suggesting common ways of responding to someone based on contextual information.
    ....
    Skype has somewhat recently added "suggestions" for replies too. I don't often use them, but they are a source of amusement.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 17
    franklinjackconfranklinjackcon Posts: 612member
    Those 12 people that used Allo will have to find some alternative I guess. I downloaded it when it first came out to try Assistant but if no one else uses it, it's totally useless. I literally had no one to send a message to. Considering how many great features Google comes up with on their various messaging/email apps, I wish they'd just stick with one and make it work. I'm about to lose Inbox which I love, even if half the features have moved to Gmail. It sounds like they are finally adding Keep functionality back into Assistant soon though
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 17
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,954member

    Change it to something like Android Messages or gMessage. Like they usually do.

    gub’nah!

    Man this forum sux on iPad.
    edited December 2018
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 17
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,396member
    Is it telling that I've never heard of it?
    baconstangwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 17
    SpamSandwichspamsandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Allo? Goodbye!
    DAalsethGG1watto_cobra
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 17
    AppleExposedappleexposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    franklinjackcon said:
    Those 12 people that used Allo will have to find some alternative I guess. I downloaded it when it first came out to try Assistant but if no one else uses it, it's totally useless. I literally had no one to send a message to. Considering how many great features Google comes up with on their various messaging/email apps, I wish they'd just stick with one and make it work. I'm about to lose Inbox which I love, even if half the features have moved to Gmail. It sounds like they are finally adding Keep functionality back into Assistant soon though
    Say goodbye to the 30 users on Hangouts soon also since most of those users are directed there from GooglePlus.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 17
    franklinjackconfranklinjackcon Posts: 612member
    AppleExposed said:
    franklinjackcon said:
    Those 12 people that used Allo will have to find some alternative I guess. I downloaded it when it first came out to try Assistant but if no one else uses it, it's totally useless. I literally had no one to send a message to. Considering how many great features Google comes up with on their various messaging/email apps, I wish they'd just stick with one and make it work. I'm about to lose Inbox which I love, even if half the features have moved to Gmail. It sounds like they are finally adding Keep functionality back into Assistant soon though
    Say goodbye to the 30 users on Hangouts soon also since most of those users are directed there from GooglePlus.
    Hangouts I still use a lot. Admittedly only with one other person and that's my wife. I wonder who the other 28 are. Although if it disappeared it wouldn't much bother me as I only use it on desktop in gmail and I can use mightytext instead. 
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 17
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,719member
    Heck, they're only shutting down 2 of the 7 messaging apps they've offered so still plenty of options. Something there for everyone!
    /s
    SpamSandwichAppleExposedAppleExposedGG1
     3Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 11 of 17
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    For people I know in my age bracket, it is either iMessage for iOS devices or WhatsApp for cross platform.  The Android users I know use WhatsApp mostly, even with other Android users.

    My kids use SnapChat, Instagram DM, and iMessage.
    crossladwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 17
    anomeanome Posts: 1,545member

    I use whatever the people I need to contact use.

    With my brother, that's either Skype or iMessage.

    With my parents, it's mostly the phone, but occasionally SMS.

    With people outside my family it gets complicated. I've used iMessage with some of them, Facebook Messenger with others. Most annoying is the former Facebook dev I know who swore off their platform after seeing how the sausage got made, but whose wife is still using it to contact people, probably because her students are all on there.

    Really, we need a standard, interoperable messaging system. It used to be SMS, but that has problems, plus non-carriers couldn't monetise it. AIM was almost it, but it still relied on a single provider's infrastructure. iMessage, WhatsApp, and even [i]'Allo 'Allo[/i] would be fine if they could just talk to eachother. Mastodon has kind of the right idea, but it's not really for messaging, it's a bit of a mess, and after all the excitement of quitting Twitter, it seems to have died down again.

    Yeah, I know, this has been done to death. And I eagerly await the link to the XKCD on standards.

    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 17
    ajmasajmas Posts: 602member
    Google seems to have so many messaging platforms it is confusing. Probably best to unify them somehow instead of creating more islands?

    I am not the only one confused: https://www.androidauthority.com/google-messaging-apps-867843/
    edited December 2018
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 17
    rcfarcfa Posts: 1,124member
    Google+, Google Allo, Hangouts, Hangout Chat, Hangouts Meet, Google Wave, Google Duo, Google Voice, Google Fi, FriendlyPix,...

    Google has/had way too many platforms that confusingly overlap and interact, and no clear concept, and some of them having obvious glaring gaps, like why does Google Voice not support SIP telephony or is properly integrated with Fi, or...

    The one platform, Wave, that was truly innovative, they crushed first.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 17
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,977member
    Can Google ever keep anything up and running? This is yet another reason why I cannot stand Google products. They introduce something and then kill it a couple years afterwards. It's very annoying to be honest. I guess its not bringing in enough Ad Revenue so they just kill it off. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 16 of 17
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,927member
    Another failed Google initiative. Tech media ignores it. If Apple HQ runs out of toilet paper, media says Apple is doomed. 
    tedp88williamlondonwatto_cobra
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 17 of 17
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member
    Sorry. Thanks. I'll just stick with Apple Apps.

    I think Google looks at the advertising money they're making as 'stupid-free' money. So they just waste it on willy-nilly projects. 
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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