Google says goodbye to Allo messaging app

6 Dec 2018

Image: © Baromee/Stock.adobe.com

Google has officially announced it is shutting down chat app Allo.

The majority of us use some form of chat app to communicate with each other on smartphones, but chances are you may not have been using the Google offering, Allo.

Since pausing investment in the project in April, the future of the smart messaging app had been unclear. 

In April, Google brought some of Allo’s features such as GIF capability and Smart Reply to its Messages app. Yesterday (5 December), vice-president of consumer communications products at Google, Matt Klainer, announced that the company would be ceasing support for Allo.

Google announces end date

According to Klainer, the Allo app will continue to function as normal until March of 2019 and users can export their existing conversation histories from the app in the meantime. He added that Allo had helped the development team incorporate machine-learning features such as Google Assistant into messaging. 

Allo was only launched in September of 2016, but usage was limited and many viewed the product as a late attempt by Google to board the messaging train. Instead of Allo, the company is continuing to push Rich Communication Services (RCS), which could allow for communication between Android devices to rival Apple’s slick iMessage interface. 

This all depends on the mobile carriers themselves developing messaging apps that are compatible with RCS and connect to other devices, while device manufacturers also need to be in on proceedings.

Hangouts shake-up

The news about the demise of Allo comes just a few days after reports emerged that Google Hangouts would become more enterprise-focused, living on within G Suite as Google Hangouts Chat, along with Hangouts Meet.

Klainer added: “We’re excited by the progress we’ve made with our communications experience over the past few years, and ready to take what we’ve learned from Allo and put it to work to make Messages even better.”

The tech giant will also keep the Duo video-calling service around for the foreseeable future. 

Ellen Tannam was a journalist with Silicon Republic, covering all manner of business and tech subjects

editorial@siliconrepublic.com