This year Google has been focusing on Allo, Duo and Android Messages for consumer messaging. But if you use Hangouts, don’t despair, Google has assured users that Hangouts isn’t going to disappear for consumers, even as the focus shifts to productivity and business applications
This year Hangouts has been focused on updating the new Hangouts Meet video meetings, and Hangouts Chat - Google’s answer to Slack - which is not yet publicly available.
There wasn’t much in the way of new features for regular Hangouts, and some older features have been retired. The Hangouts mobile app no longer supports SMS messaging except for Project Fi and Google Voice. And in April, In April non-business and live stream related video call apps were retired, along with the Google+ Hangouts API.
But Hangouts on Air is still part of YouTube Live, despite the rapidly aging interface. I suspect that live streamers who don’t need the discussion panel format have moved to using their mobile phone or more sophisticated streaming software.
I’m hoping that we see some updates for regular consumers in 2018.
There wasn’t much in the way of new features for regular Hangouts, and some older features have been retired. The Hangouts mobile app no longer supports SMS messaging except for Project Fi and Google Voice. And in April, In April non-business and live stream related video call apps were retired, along with the Google+ Hangouts API.
But Hangouts on Air is still part of YouTube Live, despite the rapidly aging interface. I suspect that live streamers who don’t need the discussion panel format have moved to using their mobile phone or more sophisticated streaming software.
I’m hoping that we see some updates for regular consumers in 2018.
2017 Google Hangouts updates
- January: Hangouts update: Streamlining group chat creation on the web
- February: Google Hangouts temporarily won’t support phone and video calls on Mozilla Firefox
- March: Hangouts update: Jump right back into the conversation with redesigned unread messages indicators
- March: Meet the new enterprise-focused Hangouts
- March: Hangouts Meet now publicly available and Hangouts Chat Early Adopter Program now accepting applications
- April: Most Hangouts Video Call apps retired
- May: Hangouts loses SMS support, except for Project Fi and Google Voice
- July: Send and receive chat messages in Hangouts Meet
- October: Changes to Google Hangouts Contact Search: it no longer searches across Google for people
- October: Dial into a Hangouts Meet video call with an international phone number
- October: The meeting room, by G Suite: Hangouts Meet Hardware
- October: Record a Hangouts Meet meeting and save it to Google Drive
- November: Easily copy Hangouts Meet conference information across your Google Calendar events
- November: Host Hangouts Meet meetings with up to 50 participants
- December: Chrome Apps (including the Hangouts Chrome app) are no longer listed in the Chrome Store for Windows, Mac and Linux; will eventually be replaced with Progressive Web Apps. Extensions are still available.
- December: Firefox once again supports Google Hangouts video calls
Top Tips and Tutorials for Google Hangouts
More 2017 Updates
Year in Review 2017: YouTube Creators, Partners and Live StreamersYear in Review 2017: Google+ Comes Into Its Own
Year in Review 2017: Google and Your Photos
Updated March 2019 to remove Google+ links
Thanks
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