Google's little-used Allo messenger will follow Hangouts into retirement

A new report from 9to5Google, which it obtained from a source in the know, suggests that Google’s little-used, but innovative, Allo messenger will be shut down just like the more popular Hangouts. For a while now, work has slowed on Allo following the departure of the project’s head. In the eight months since, Google has been moving the Allo team over to work on Android Messages and getting them to port functionality over from Allo.

By making Android Messages the default chat client, Google may finally be able to break into the social sphere by shipping its product as the default SMS app. By including web messenger-style features with RCS integration it may be able to usurp users from web-based messaging clients. While RCS isn’t widely supported around the world yet, more carriers are jumping on the bandwagon.

Today’s news has come via unofficial channels so we’ll still have to wait for Google to actually confirm that it is indeed shutting down Allo. With that said, Anil Sabharwal, VP of Product at Google, admitted that Allo had garnered fewer than 50 million users, which was below the “level of traction” that the firm had hoped for.

In the future, Google will focus on Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet, which Google will open up to consumers in 2019, and Android Messages. Overall, the move is a good one for Google, not too many people will miss Allo and the web giant can concentrate on more popular products.

Source: 9to5Google