Google Hangouts
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| Developer(s) | |
|---|---|
| Initial release | May 15, 2013 |
| Stable release | 2.5 / January 9, 2015 |
| Development status | Active |
| Operating system | |
| Type | Communication software |
| License | Freeware |
| Website | www |
Google Hangouts is an instant messaging and video chat platform developed by Google. It replaces three messaging products that Google had implemented concurrently within its services, including Google Talk, Google+ Messenger (formerly: Huddle), and Hangouts, a video chat system present within Google+. Google has also stated that Hangouts is designed to be "the future" of its telephony product, Google Voice, and integrated some of the capabilities of Google Voice into Hangouts.[1] In current versions of Android, Hangouts is the default application for text messaging.
History[edit]
Prior to the launch of Hangouts, Google had maintained several similar, but technologically separate messaging services and platforms across its suite of products. These have included the enterprise-oriented Google Talk (based on XMPP), Google+ Messenger, and the Hangouts feature of Google+, which allows for group videoconferencing with up to 10 users at once. However, its increasingly fragmented and non-unified suite of messaging offerings was also facing growing competition from services such as Facebook Messenger, iMessage, and WhatsApp. A decision was made to scrap the existing Google Talk system and code a new messaging product through a collaboration with multiple development teams.[2]
Following reports that the new service would be known as "Babel", the service officially launched as Hangouts during the Google I/O conference on May 15, 2013.[2][3]
As of version 2.3 (September 12, 2014), Hangouts includes the ability to make free voice calls to other Hangouts users,[4] and charges users (via pre-registered credit) to call landline and mobile phones internationally except for calls to the United States and Canada which are free of charge.[5] Currently, Android users must have both the Google Hangouts[4] and Hangouts Dialer[6] apps installed if they wish to call landline or mobile telephone numbers via the public switched telephone network.
Features[edit]
Hangouts allows users to hold conversations between two or more users. The service can be accessed online through the Gmail or Google+ websites, or through mobile apps available for Android and iOS (which were distributed as a successor to their existing Google Talk apps). However, because it uses a proprietary protocol[2] instead of the XMPP open standard protocol used by Google Talk, most third-party applications which had access to Google Talk do not have access to Google+ Hangouts. In contrast, the GVJackApp for magicJack and the GVMate Phone Adapter both of which are signalling independent will not be adversely affected and will continue to work for users as normal using the Google+ Hangouts platform after support for XMPP has been terminated.[7]
Chat histories are saved online, allowing them to be synced between devices. A "watermark" of a user's avatar is used as a marker to indicate how far they have read into the conversation. Photos can be shared during conversations, which are automatically uploaded into a private Google+ album. Users can also now use color emoji symbols in their messages.[8][9]
As with the previous Google+ Hangouts, users can also perform a group video chat with up to 10 users at a time.[10] The new Google Hangouts app on iOS integrates a Google Voice number to some extent, but on Android the SMS support in Hangouts doesn't fully integrate with Google Voice for calls or texts. The integration will not arrive until 2014. The reason for the delay appears tied into Google switching away from the XMPP protocol it used, as mentioned above.[11]
In Android 4.4, Hangouts is integrated with text messages sending and receiving functions, which is the default SMS app in Nexus 5. For other Android phones, users can choose to open the SMS function when they download the new version of Hangouts via Google Play. SMS conversations are shown in a drawer on the left side. The update also adds GIF support and a new location-sharing button, which allows the user to send their GPS location to their contacts.[12]
Reception[edit]
As of May 2013, Google Hangouts faced criticism from the Electronic Frontier Foundation as they felt that Google was "moving in the wrong direction " by shrinking its support for the open standard protocol XMPP.[13] The new protocol does not allow Google Hangouts to be integrated with multi-chat clients like Pidgin or Adium.
Additionally, the tight integration of Google Hangouts to Google+ can lead to the unwilling sharing of personal information to others.[14]
In November 2014, the Make Use Of hailed Google Hangouts as the "best messaging app on Android by far".[15]
Security[edit]
On November 4, 2014, Google Hangouts scored 2 out of 7 points on the Electronic Frontier Foundation's secure messaging scorecard. It lost points because communications are not encrypted with a key the provider doesn't have access to, users can't verify contacts' identities, past messages are not secure if the encryption keys are stolen, the code is not open to independent review, and the security design is not properly documented.[16][17]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Google Voice Mail Official Blog (July 9, 2013). "Making calls from Hangouts — in Gmail and across the web". Google. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Exclusive: Inside Hangouts, Google's big fix for its messaging mess". The Verge. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
- ^ "Google's rumored Babel chat service will reportedly launch as Hangouts". Engadget. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
- ^ a b "Hangouts - Android Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
- ^ "Calling Rates". www.google.com. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
- ^ "Hangouts Dialer". Retrieved November 12, 2014.
- ^ "GVJackApp for magicJack Unaffected By XMPP Retirement May 2014". pcphonesoft.com.
- ^ "Google beefs up Hangouts into text, photo, video chat powerhouse". Ars Technica. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "Google+ Hangouts app hands-on". Engadget. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "Google unveils Hangouts: a unified messaging system for Android, iOS, and Chrome". The Verge. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ Smith, Josh. "Google Hangouts SMS and Google Voice Won’t Work Together Until 2014". Retrieved 3 December 2013.
- ^ DOBIE, ALEX. "Hangouts 2.0 now rolling out with SMS support".
- ^ Paul, Ian. "Google Abandons Open Standards for Instant Messaging". Electronic Frontier Foundation.
- ^ "Google outed me". Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ "The Best Android Apps". Make Use Of. 30 November 2014.
- ^ "Secure Messaging Scorecard. Which apps and tools actually keep your messages safe?". Electronic Frontier Foundation. 2014-11-04.
- ^ "Only 6 Messaging Apps Are Truly Secure". PC Magazine. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
External links[edit]
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