This article isn't made by me.
Google is starting the process of shutting down its Hangouts app and migrating users to Google Chat, the company said in a blog post Thursday. The move makes good on plans Google originally laid out in 2019, when it retired Hangout support for G Suite customers and hinted that support for individual users would follow suit in 2020.
"Starting in the first half of 2021, everyone can begin upgrading from Hangouts to Chat," Google said in the post. "To ensure a smooth transition, we will help automatically migrate your Hangouts conversations, along with contacts and saved history." The company adds that it'll share more guidance when the transition begins, with exact timing still to be determined.
As part of the move, Google said it plans to end Fi support in Hangouts early next year, with the same SMS access relocated to the Messages app.
"Fi users will be able to make voice calls and check voicemail from Messages for web, manage conversations from Messages across devices (even when their phone is off) and migrate their existing Hangouts conversations," Google said. "Beginning this month, we'll provide guidance about these changes and direct Hangouts Fi users to Messages or the default SMS app on their phone."
Google said that a similar transition to the Voice app is in store for Google Voice users, adding that it won't be long before you aren't able to make phone calls from the Hangouts app at all.
"New telecommunications regulations are being introduced in the EU and US beginning in 2021," Google said. "To comply with these new regulations, we need to remove the call phones feature in Hangouts. In October, we'll start showing affected users an in-product notification with guidance on how to receive refunds on their remaining calling credits, and early next year, we'll remove the feature entirely."
The changes come during a time in which videoconferencing services are booming due to continued efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In April, Google told CNET that its Meet videoconferencing software was adding 2 million users a day after logging 2 billion minutes of video calls during March. Key competitor Zoom saw its own surge of users at the onset of the pandemic, with a jump of more than 100 million users between March and April.
I'm not surprised, since Google is known for killing things off unnecessarily, as shown by the website killedbygoogle.com (AKA google graveyard). A lot of wat they kill off are actually pretty darn useful, and they end up reducing the amount of free, useful features that they own. Why? Who knows? They don't give explanations that make sense, if any. They probably don't even care to explain themselves. They probably think that since they're such a massive question, they can just kill off a bunch of useful apps of theirs and nobody will ask why. BUT WHY!? They already have Gmail, Google Hangouts, and Google Calls. They don't need a new messaging app. They should be happy with what they have already instead of force-switching everybody.
I just hope they don't make the app mobile-only and allow a browser version. I don't have my own cellphone yet.
Google is starting the process of shutting down its Hangouts app and migrating users to Google Chat, the company said in a blog post Thursday. The move makes good on plans Google originally laid out in 2019, when it retired Hangout support for G Suite customers and hinted that support for individual users would follow suit in 2020.
"Starting in the first half of 2021, everyone can begin upgrading from Hangouts to Chat," Google said in the post. "To ensure a smooth transition, we will help automatically migrate your Hangouts conversations, along with contacts and saved history." The company adds that it'll share more guidance when the transition begins, with exact timing still to be determined.
As part of the move, Google said it plans to end Fi support in Hangouts early next year, with the same SMS access relocated to the Messages app.
"Fi users will be able to make voice calls and check voicemail from Messages for web, manage conversations from Messages across devices (even when their phone is off) and migrate their existing Hangouts conversations," Google said. "Beginning this month, we'll provide guidance about these changes and direct Hangouts Fi users to Messages or the default SMS app on their phone."
Google said that a similar transition to the Voice app is in store for Google Voice users, adding that it won't be long before you aren't able to make phone calls from the Hangouts app at all.
"New telecommunications regulations are being introduced in the EU and US beginning in 2021," Google said. "To comply with these new regulations, we need to remove the call phones feature in Hangouts. In October, we'll start showing affected users an in-product notification with guidance on how to receive refunds on their remaining calling credits, and early next year, we'll remove the feature entirely."
The changes come during a time in which videoconferencing services are booming due to continued efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In April, Google told CNET that its Meet videoconferencing software was adding 2 million users a day after logging 2 billion minutes of video calls during March. Key competitor Zoom saw its own surge of users at the onset of the pandemic, with a jump of more than 100 million users between March and April.
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In my opinion, I don't see a reason why google is trying to get rid of Hangouts (especially since they give no explanation), except for the new communications regulations in the US and EU. However, they could simply remove Hangout's feature to make calls and call it a day, right? Nope. They want an entirely new app. Why did they decide to code an entirely new app instead of simply altering the code of an existing one and deleting the assets for a few button? Wouldn't simply removing that feature be enough and take way less time than creating all new source code? Nope. Apparently it's not. There is no reason to remove support, nor is there reason to create an all new map.I'm not surprised, since Google is known for killing things off unnecessarily, as shown by the website killedbygoogle.com (AKA google graveyard). A lot of wat they kill off are actually pretty darn useful, and they end up reducing the amount of free, useful features that they own. Why? Who knows? They don't give explanations that make sense, if any. They probably don't even care to explain themselves. They probably think that since they're such a massive question, they can just kill off a bunch of useful apps of theirs and nobody will ask why. BUT WHY!? They already have Gmail, Google Hangouts, and Google Calls. They don't need a new messaging app. They should be happy with what they have already instead of force-switching everybody.
I just hope they don't make the app mobile-only and allow a browser version. I don't have my own cellphone yet.
