I/O 2016: Google Allo smart messenger and Duo video calling coming to iOS, Android this summer
Google hopes to shake up the mobile communications landscape this summer with a cross-platform release of both Allo, a new smart messenger, and Duo, a simplified one-to-one video calling service.
Designed with the goal of making conversations "easier and more expressive," Google's Allo offers a text message replacement that finds contacts based on their phone number. Integrated with machine learning, it offers smart features such as suggested quick replies based on your previous chat activity, similar to Apple's own QuickType suggestions in iOS.
Google's assistant is also integrated into Allo, allowing users to chat with the virtual service one on one, or in a group chat with friends. Google assistant cant book a dinner reservation, provide sports scores, answer questions, or play games. It also integrates with search, translate, Google Maps, and YouTube.
Allo also taps into information on your phone like calendar entries, contacts and photos, allowing users to ask for their agenda for the day or details of a flight and hotel. It also understands natural language, and will respond to queries such as, "Is my flight delayed?"
Google also hopes to simplify video calling with its upcoming Duo service, which will also be cross-platform between iOS and Android. It's a one-on-one video chat service that is optimized to work with connections both fast and slow, and like Allo, it's also based on a user's phone number.
One key Duo feature is "Knock Knock," which shows a live video preview of the caller before a user answers the chat request. Google says Duo is designed to feel "spontaneous and fun."
Calls on Duo are end-to-end encrypted. Google will also offer the same encryption with Allo for chats initiated in Incognito mode.
Designed with the goal of making conversations "easier and more expressive," Google's Allo offers a text message replacement that finds contacts based on their phone number. Integrated with machine learning, it offers smart features such as suggested quick replies based on your previous chat activity, similar to Apple's own QuickType suggestions in iOS.
Google's assistant is also integrated into Allo, allowing users to chat with the virtual service one on one, or in a group chat with friends. Google assistant cant book a dinner reservation, provide sports scores, answer questions, or play games. It also integrates with search, translate, Google Maps, and YouTube.
Allo also taps into information on your phone like calendar entries, contacts and photos, allowing users to ask for their agenda for the day or details of a flight and hotel. It also understands natural language, and will respond to queries such as, "Is my flight delayed?"
Google also hopes to simplify video calling with its upcoming Duo service, which will also be cross-platform between iOS and Android. It's a one-on-one video chat service that is optimized to work with connections both fast and slow, and like Allo, it's also based on a user's phone number.
One key Duo feature is "Knock Knock," which shows a live video preview of the caller before a user answers the chat request. Google says Duo is designed to feel "spontaneous and fun."
Calls on Duo are end-to-end encrypted. Google will also offer the same encryption with Allo for chats initiated in Incognito mode.
Comments
If not downloadable the headline should read "Coming to select android devices this summer".
Rename FaceTime audio to something that makes sense (EarShot per example) and add EarShot and FaceTime to iMessage and kill the FaceTime app.
Apple text, audio and video communication cross-platform and out-of-the-box for Apple customers.
Boom.
And I'd go one step further and simplify signup ala WhatsApp etc. Signup should be impossibly easy.
It is consistent and predictable.
Thought Apple tried to open iMessage and FaceTime?
Earshot is a terrible name sorry. I don't wanna ask people to "earshot me" either.
Thought it was part of their next OS which won't be available on most devices.
When I'm on my iPad and I get a FaceTime call, it takes over the entire damn screen. I could be in the middle of a game, or doing something else, and Boom! FaceTime takes over the entire screen and ruins my game, or whatever else I was doing. I have notifications for Facetime off.
When I get a Skype call, there is a small notification on top of the screen, but FaceTime takes over 100% of my screen, and that is not cool at all.
Yeah they should definitely NOT do this. Incidentally you can already start FaceTime from within iMessage.
Agreed, although I would simply add a submenu to FaceTime to choose either Audio or Video.
And while they’re at it, I would go yet one more step and include screen sharing for iOS.
I help many friends and family on Mac but also iOS, sure wish I could share their screen but I’m not about to jailbreak my iPhone and theirs just to use Cydia's Veency. This could make Messages a one stop Communicator.
I don't at all buy the argument that people wouldn't want to buy iPhone if iMessage was cross-platform. In a world where iMessage is cross platform and I own Apple devices my product experience is improved. It makes iPhone better. Lots of Android users would install iMessage and we iPhone customers could all delete Facebook messenger, kik, WhatsApp and every other chat app. We'd have an ideal out of the box iPhone solution for all internet commutation. And if Android users like iMessage it'd make moving to iPhone more enticing and a less risky prospect.
Hard to say. Your friends could also stop buying iPhonies, And Apple shouldn't make android users happy.
What Apple could do is develop the app for Droid but make the iPhone version superior. Otherwise why buy an iPhone when a cheap knockoff has similar software?