Google Allo

Google this week clarified its future messaging plans following our twin reports about classic Hangouts and Allo. After development on the latter was paused in April, the company on Wednesday announced that it would be sunset next year. Ahead of that, Google today released what is likely one of the last updates for the smart messaging app to help users export chats.

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Over the past several days, 9to5Google reported that Google was planning to move away from “classic Hangouts” and sunset Google Allo. Amid the discussion about the company’s messaging future, Google today clarified its strategy, and published a definite blog post confirming our two reports.

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Google will announce that it’s shutting down the shortlived Google Allo chat app “soon,” according to a reliable source familiar with the plan, although the timeline of the announcement may have been delayed by the backlash stemming from our report about ‘Hangouts classic’ being shuttered.

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Despite having multiple messaging apps, Allo is the app Google markets most for consumer chats. While it does have a web interface, it must first be signed in through the phone app and must remain in constant communication with the handset. Thankfully, Googler Justin Uberti gives us hope that this will change soon. Expand
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After a hiatus due to the December holidays, the latest Google Allo update is now rolling out. In version 26, we’ve been able to activate a cool new expressive feature called “Scene Generation,” as well as the ability to preview Assistant results and set default identities.

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In a teardown last month, we spotted Allo preparing a transcription feature for voice messages. With version 25 rolling out now, that functionality is beginning to go live for users, while Google continues work on camera effects and a Reply feature that quotes previously sent messages.

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Our teardown of Allo 24 revealed that Google’s consumer messaging app might be on the verge of letting users contact one another via email address. This would alter the app’s central tenet of phone number-based communication which have informed other features like the web app and only being able to sign-in on one device.

Fortunately, the latest update of Allo hints that too might be change, with Google working on multi-device support for the service. Expand
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The latest update to Google Allo is rolling out this morning. While the messaging app is light on new changes or features, version 24 reveals that the ability to reach people via Google account and email address is in the works. Furthermore, there are several changes to related to the camera.

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Version 22 of Allo introduced selfie clips and the ability to have admins with privileges in group chats. The latest update is now rolling out and a teardown reveals Google might be closer to launching camera effects and audio transcriptions. Meanwhile, new features under development include contact sharing.

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In our teardown of Google Allo 22, we spotted the messaging service working on new functionality like audio clip transcription and improved replies. Those features are not yet available, but some other ones — including group chat controls and Selfie clips — that we’ve long activated are now live.

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The latest version of Google Allo rolled out over the weekend with a mix of new fun and useful features in the works. This latter group includes audio message transcription, replies, and better adaptive icon support. Meanwhile, work on camera filters continues in version 22.

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During the last few months, Google has been working hard to bring users to Allo and Duo. While Duo has been a relative success (it’s pre-installed on Pixels, and widely regarded as a simply great video calling app), let’s talk about Allo, and what Google do to make it comparable to the competition.

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Group communication is one of the most vital aspects of college nowadays, and Google is seemingly starting to take advantage of that. While Facebook Messenger has been a strong contender for most users, Google appears to be stepping into the ring by heavily advertising Allo as a worthy alternative…

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Since launching Allo for web, Google has been working hard to continuously improve the service. This includes performance updates, bringing over features like large and small text from the mobile application, and more. This morning, Allo for web was updated with a new tip on how to get the most out of the web application, and the included image is quite odd…

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Earlier this month, Google Allo for web added several expressive features found on the mobile apps like Whisper/Shout, as well as stickers, emoji, and GIFs. The latter feature is being revamped today with a better interface and search.

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The latest version of Google Allo rolled out over the weekend and shows the messaging service preparing a number of new features, including camera effects and sticker search on the web. Version 19 also integrates Allo with the Google app’s In Apps search feature.

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Nearly a month after Allo for web finally launched, the client is getting a sizable update that adds a number of expressive features found on the mobile apps. Users can now search for GIFs, stickers, and emoji, while Whisper/Shout also makes its way online.

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Despite the criticism that Allo seems to face on a regular basis, credit has to be given to Google for updating the app regularly with new features, settings, and more. Google just pushed out version 18 of the app on the Google Play Store, and although it isn’t the biggest Allo update we’ve ever seen, there are a couple features here that are worth talking about.

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The last release of Google Allo accompanied the long-awaited web client for the company’s latest messaging service. Version 17 began rolling out over the weekend and hints at Allo adding built-in Google Translate functionality, suggestions/autocomplete for Assistant, and several other new features.

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While many in the Android and Google-fan communities used and loved (well, sometimes loved) Hangouts for messaging others from mobile and desktop, Google is now shifting the app’s focus to enterprise. In its place is Allo, which only started working on the web this week. Although we can’t help you get Hangouts back, we can help you make Allo look similar to the Hangouts web client…

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Since its launch, Google Allo has been highly criticized for its lack of features and for the fact that it could only be used on a smartphone. Since then, Google has been slowly rolling out updates to improve the service, but it wasn’t until today when Allo for web launched that the instant messenger might have finally become a viable means of communication.

Are you likely to give Google Allo a second chance?

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After months of waiting, Allo’s desktop client is here in the form of Allo for web. As you’d expect, the service allows you to access all of your Allo messages on your desktop or laptop, and although it’s still in its early form, there’s plenty to get excited about. If you’re ready to keep up with your Allo conversations on your computer, here’s how to set up and use its new web client.

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Ever since Allo made its debut last September, one of the biggest missing features for the messaging service was a proper desktop client for continuing your conversations while at your computer or laptop. We finally got that with the release of Allo for web today, and now that the feature is here, it’s time to give Google’s messaging client the second chance it deserves…

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After a long wait (Google said it would be coming in ‘a few more weeks’ back in July), Google Allo’s web client is now rolling out — although it’s currently restricted to those running the latest version of the app on Android. We revealed in our teardown of the last version of the app that the launch of Allo for web was imminent, and site is now live…

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A teardown of version 15 of Allo reveals that Google is readying the last pieces for the messaging service’s long-awaited desktop client. First teased in February, our previous code dives have noted that the messaging service will take a WhatsApp-like approach for its desktop app. Additionally, Google also appears to be working on more ways to express yourself.

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Google Allo version 14 began rolling out just yesterday, but deep in the app’s code we’ve found details on some features that are new in this version, and a few in the works for future unreleased versions of Allo. Some of these, including new zoom and blur options for quick selfies, a new Allo for web setting page, and a new Data Usage page, we’ve managed to enable ourselves…

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Google Allo’s long-awaited web client is going to be ready for primetime within a “few more weeks,” the Head of Product for Google Allo and Duo Amit Fulay said on Twitter.

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We’ve known for a while that a web view for Google’s Allo is coming, but the company hasn’t given us too many details about when it would actually debut. Recently, Google’s VP of product management, Nick Fox, has given us a more concrete timeframe for when it will make its debut.

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For several months, Google has been preparing selfie-generated stickers in Allo. We gave you an exclusive preview of that feature about a week ago. Now, Allo 11 is officially introducing those selfie-generated stickers for everyone, but this update also packs evidence of several other features coming in future updates.

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Google Assistant first launched as a preview inside Allo in September of last year. Support was initially limited to English, but it has since been updated with more languages. Starting today, a number of Allo’s smart features will work in two new languages.

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We told you back when Allo 5.0 started rolling out that Google was working on an interesting new custom selfie-generated sticker pack feature. Now, version 10.0 of Allo is rolling out publicly and we’ve managed to enable the feature to see just how it works…

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Our teardown of Allo 9.0 earlier last month revealed that Google’s consumer messaging service would soon add a number of new features. Now, chat backups, Incognito mode for group conversations, and more are now beginning to rollout to all users…

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Several weeks ago, Nick Fox, Google’s VP of Communications Products, teased us via Twitter with an early look at Google Allo for desktop. With Allo 9.0, Google seems to be preparing the method by which you’ll connect your device to Allo desktop. We now have our first idea of how that might work… Expand
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Google Allo 9.0 has arrived, and with it plenty of background changes that haven’t yet been enabled. A couple weeks ago we told you about some features we found evidence of in the last major version of Allo (like quick selfie, backup & restore, and more stickers), and this version of Allo seems to further prepare some of these and lay the groundwork for them to be enabled with a server-side switch…

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