Revamped, cross-platform Google Hangouts app competes with Apple's iMessages, FaceTime [u]
Google on Wednesday expanded its cross-platform service offerings with a revamped version of Hangouts, now a standalone application for iOS and Android with a focus on video and text conversations within groups.
Update: Google's Hangouts for iOS has gone live and can be downloaded from the App Store now.
The new Hangouts app will be available Wednesday for Android devices, iOS devices, and on the search company's Chrome browser. It integrates Google Talk, Google + Messenger, and Google's original Hangout video chat service.
The app presents users with a list of recent conversations, and these conversations are persistent, with new information accessible across devices. Users can add and remove participants from conversations and see who exactly has seen what within a particular conversation.
Unifying its diverse communications offerings is part of an ongoing trend for Google, which has been criticized for a lack of focus leading to occasionally lackluster services. Pulling together most of its chat and communication services will bring the search giant into stiffer competition with not only Facebook, but also popular apps like WhatsApp.
The cross-platform Hangouts app will also compete with Apple's FaceTime video chatting service, as well as its iMessage service. While iMessage is restricted to Apple devices such as iPads, iPhones, and Macs, Apple originally intended for FaceTime to be an open standard. The Cupertino company never went through with those plans, though, and FaceTime remains and Apple device exclusive.
Update: Google's Hangouts for iOS has gone live and can be downloaded from the App Store now.
The new Hangouts app will be available Wednesday for Android devices, iOS devices, and on the search company's Chrome browser. It integrates Google Talk, Google + Messenger, and Google's original Hangout video chat service.
The app presents users with a list of recent conversations, and these conversations are persistent, with new information accessible across devices. Users can add and remove participants from conversations and see who exactly has seen what within a particular conversation.
Unifying its diverse communications offerings is part of an ongoing trend for Google, which has been criticized for a lack of focus leading to occasionally lackluster services. Pulling together most of its chat and communication services will bring the search giant into stiffer competition with not only Facebook, but also popular apps like WhatsApp.
The cross-platform Hangouts app will also compete with Apple's FaceTime video chatting service, as well as its iMessage service. While iMessage is restricted to Apple devices such as iPads, iPhones, and Macs, Apple originally intended for FaceTime to be an open standard. The Cupertino company never went through with those plans, though, and FaceTime remains and Apple device exclusive.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by jusephe
WHY google want to compete with Apple ?
Because, Apple (Jobs) promised to come onto it with Thermonuclear War. And, Google thinks it is doing the same on Apple.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chandra69
Because, Apple (Jobs) promised to come onto it with Thermonuclear War. And, Google thinks it is doing the same on Apple.
Google is so far ahead of Apple in software that it is embarrassing. Literally seems like varsity team (GOOG) playing versus the jv team (Apple).
What exactly are Apple software engineers doing these days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdnc123
Google is so far ahead of Apple in software that it is embarrassing. Literally seems like varsity team (GOOG) playing versus the jv team (Apple).
What exactly are Apple software engineers doing these days?
They are doing Google's research and development
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdnc123
Google is so far ahead of Apple in software that it is embarrassing. Literally seems like varsity team (GOOG) playing versus the jv team (Apple).
What exactly are Apple software engineers doing these days?
Its going to be Apple turn at the WWDC, we will see and lets hope it gets better.
2) Where the hell is their Find My iPhone equivalent for Android?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdnc123
Google is so far ahead of Apple in software that it is embarrassing. Literally seems like varsity team (GOOG) playing versus the jv team (Apple).
What exactly are Apple software engineers doing these days?
Redesigning iOS icons for Johnny.
Because Google apps are already popular on iOS and a cross-platform app will have a good chance at being more popular than an exclusive-to-a-platform app (iMessage, FaceTime).
seriously, Dude?
I'm typing this on my Galaxsy S4 after 4 years of iPhones, and I can tell you confidently, and as a S/W developer, that Google has a long way to go.
Typically, when someone pioneers a new market, there are other opportunists that emerge to exploit the new market. Apple had expected competition & copycats. It's not like they haven't been in business for some 35+ years. It's perfectly normal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
They are doing Google's research and development
LOL
I think in NET terms, Android has been a complete loser for Google ($8Bn in Motorola acquisition costs, many more billions in Android development, etc, and they still make more money from iOS than Android. For Samsung, however, it is a different story). However, this approach, of building services which span across all platforms is an absolute winner, and will make them far more powerful than any supposed Android domination.
Basically, we have a situation where you have the internet layer, but a more useful and popular Google layer over it. This Google layer includes maps (#1), communication (might become #1 with this announcement), search (#1), shopping (woefully behind), social (way behind), email (#1), etc. Google will make a lot more money, and be far more successful with this strategy, as opposed to the Android vs. iOS one.
That's not the reason. Don't be childish. This isn't "payback."
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
They are doing Google's research and development
This seems sad but true.
I sold my iPad 3 to buy a Nexus 7 (for the smaller size) a few months before the mini came out. One thing I've noticed with a fair number of games, on iOS they are $0.99, and free on Android (ad-sponsored). I wonder if this has anything to do with friends that do have an android device are much more likely to have rooted it and pirate most, if not all their apps.
As someone who's more interested in drawing and making music, Android is a poor platform as quality apps are impossible to find. I'm going to wait for the new A7 iPads to come out and switch back immediately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryA
seriously, Dude?
I'm typing this on my Galaxsy S4 after 4 years of iPhones, and I can tell you confidently, and as a S/W developer, that Google has a long way to go.
This. I can honestly browse webpages faster on my ancient ORIGINAL iphone, than the Galaxy S3. Stuff like transitions happening in sequence, rather than simultaneously, make the S3 seem slower even if an exact stopwatch time test might show it to be marginally faster.
Apple has done a fantastic job with iOS. Androids are trying to compensate with throwing bigger hardware at the problem.
OTOH, where Apple fails is:
1) Building online services. iCloud is much better than its previous iterations, and in a world without Google, would be considered best of breed. However, Google does exist, and their online services are better.
2) Platforms (not OSes). Apple's desire to limit its platforms to Apple devices severely limit their success. iMessage would have been the runaway leader in messaging if Apple had expanded it to Android/WP7/etc. OTOH, by providing a cross platform Hangout service, it will be very easy for Google to sweep in and take leadership in this role.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
That's not the reason. Don't be childish. This isn't "payback."
I cant think that you took it seriously.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdnc123
Google is so far ahead of Apple in software that it is embarrassing. Literally seems like varsity team (GOOG) playing versus the jv team (Apple).
What exactly are Apple software engineers doing these days?
Busy creating and polishing things that the average person will be able to use.
As I was reading through a summary of the Google I/O conference, I found myself thinking two things:
As usual, Google is creating a lot of stuff that geeks will spend their lives learning how to use, but that people outside of the tech industry won't use much, if at all. Especially given the nasty disposition many Google evangelists tend to have due to the fact that they've spent far more time learning all the details about everything Google creates than actually interacting with real people.
Most of this requires you to have your whole life exposed to Google. For example, searching for information about "your trip" requires you to book your flights, hotels, etc through services or apps which tie into Google somehow. No thanks.