This does not mean that Google Hangouts are totally gone. It's just that Google is finally taking a tough decision on the inclusion of Hangouts as a preloaded app for future Android smartphones. Starting Dec. 1, 2016, Google's Android pack with not include Hangouts app as an essential pre-installed app.
Of course, you can still download all Google applications. It's your Android phone, you can do whatever you want to do with it. But what are the Google apps that you may want to see?
What Will Happen To Hangouts App
The move to replace Hangouts app from mandatory to optional download doesn't come as a surprise news as Google's Hangouts app was unable to keep up with other popular social messaging networks. Google's choice of replacing Hangouts with Duo instead of Allo, however, comes as a slight surprise.
Google hangouts will still be available in the Android's Google Play. It does mean that manufacturers may opt to stop including it on smartphones released in 2017. Which, really, that's not a big deal. Remember that Hangouts app will just be available as an optional app and can always be downloaded via Google Play.
Why Not Include Hangouts App Anymore
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and mobile operators want to have their own messaging applications and Hangouts was a big competition to it. An opportunity to remove that competition is obviously going to have a very big appeal to all android users.
Google's video calling app, Duo, recently hit 10 million downloads on Google Play Store. The new video-calling app just four days after its global rollout on Google Play Store made it to the top of the charts as the top free app in a specific category. The Duo app is available in all countries as long as Google Play is available. The company's brand new video calling app was launched to compete with Apple's FaceTime, Microsoft's Skype, Viber, and others similar services. The Duo app lets people call their phone contacts, as long as they have the app installed.
Who is not excited on this? It will be very useful to all android users! A big round of applause to Google for this tough decision.
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