Allo and Duo are Google's new messenger and video calling apps

18 May, 2016
Google wants to shake up the way that people communicate with each other and it believes that Allo will do just that, by integrating AI (artificial intelligence) elements with every day communication methods. Duo, a new video calling app, has also been announced for users between Android and iOS to communicate with each other. Both of these apps will be available to iOS and Android users in the summer of this year.

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  • M
  • Mcwhy
  • 9LA
  • 31 May 2016

Anonymous, 19 May 2016Its not easy,the competition is very rich and powerfull, we... moreToo much to read just for a comment.

    How many new stupid messaging apps is Google gonna release or 12year olds?

    I don't get why they can't fix the HORRIBLE lag in hangout😬

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      • AnonD-539478
      • kR8
      • 20 May 2016

      I wonder if anybody will be able to make a messaging app that will use wireless and wifi seamlessly like Imessage does for the apple guys. Sometimes i work in areas that have great 4g and other times there is only wifi. My wife and family all have iphones and I am a android user. I never get their messages until hours later when I am again in a 4g area. I do use hangouts and fb messager but these aren'T seemless at all.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • nEc
        • 19 May 2016

        DonAlduck, 18 May 2016They should implement it into Hangouts. The only reason (IM... moreIts not easy,the competition is very rich and powerfull, we have already seen threads bombarded by 100's of negative, sometimes even unrelated random comments going on for pages to shove anything positive left by genuine pleased users so fardown the line, that potential downloaders never get to see them, lets settle it neither the might of facebook nor the Pr team of apple will let any seed of this kind germinate. Remember when samsung had a go at it with their installed chaton app, whether an individual personaly liked it or not,myself with millions of others found, no privacy invasion from face book no privacy or control intrusion by apple, I was already on an android samsung phone, and the app had video calling, voice calling, messaging, picture, video, voice and location share, walkie talkie, and those weird lil emoji things people like, with no adds and intrusion,for me perfect, nothing to dislike and nothing left to be desired ,but, the media threads took care of it, 100's of faceless
        orchestrated posts from who knows who, and if you check round the internet any competion to those big boys, have 100's of neg comments all, get it off ,don't want it, don't need it, hate it, how dare they install it....etc etc etc. From common experience ordinary people don't press an icon they don't use they just get on with what they do use, what they don't do is waste
        precious time going on the web to destroy something they barely acknowledge exists,ie I'm
        not using google books, why would I go on their site to complain. It has no impact on my life and the memory it talks could be blown away, taking one short hi res video. Google have an uphill battle here no matter how good they try to make it.

          This will most likely fail like other poorly executed messaging efforts from Google. Google's style of competing with Google is tantamount to a house divided against itself and has yielded too many competing half baked messaging apps.

          What they should do is release one excellently performing and functional app that does video, MMS, SMS, etc and works on all platforms.

            • O
            • Ockie
            • fjR
            • 19 May 2016

            dukaki, 18 May 2016Add SMS support to Allo, discontinue everything else that i... moreI agree. Have one default app for Android. Make it the SMS/MMS/Instant messenger app and enable voice calls on it. Done.

              • O
              • Ockie
              • fjR
              • 19 May 2016

              Please give us the option to do Voip (non video) calls on Allo.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • IWN
                • 19 May 2016

                AnonD-506570, 19 May 2016More of Google worthless gimmicks At lest it will appeal ... moreYeah it's not meant for antiques.

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                  • AnonD-506570
                  • H5B
                  • 19 May 2016

                  More of Google worthless gimmicks
                  At lest it will appeal to the younger generation.

                    • D
                    • AnonD-425519
                    • 4BY
                    • 19 May 2016

                    DonAlduck, 18 May 2016They should implement it into Hangouts. The only reason (IM... moreAllo does look good! I like some of the features it has!

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                      • AnonD-425519
                      • 4BY
                      • 19 May 2016

                      apertotes, 18 May 2016WTF are they thinking? Messenger, Hangouts, Voice, Allo and... moreI still miss Google Talk, fast and easy to use lol. Hangouts looks better but is a bit sluggish.

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                        • ZXcorr
                        • PNg
                        • 19 May 2016

                        I don't like the names. They don't sound that inviting. Not good for marketing.

                          • G
                          • Gibby
                          • R04
                          • 19 May 2016

                          Why can't they just do both features of Allo & Duo in one App - and just stick with Hangouts?
                          Too many confusing options.
                          Exciting news - but they need some clear direction with their instant messaging options.
                          I'll stick with Hangouts for now. Works really well on my S7 Edge ;)

                            • e
                            • expectation
                            • UD{
                            • 19 May 2016

                            reality:its loading and very lag, takes forever

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • N{7
                              • 18 May 2016

                              This does seem like another mostly unused niche product if they don't incorporate SMS into the mix. Then it replaces Google Messenger and adds some interesting features.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-418881
                                • Hkt
                                • 18 May 2016

                                Thank God I'm able to uninstall "Hangout" app in MIUI !!

                                  Add SMS support to Allo, discontinue everything else that includes IM/SMS, require all manufacturers to use Allo as the one and only sms app for new phones and after a few years Allo becomes the iMessage of Android.
                                  No more having to install a gazillion messaging apps because 3 of your friends use viber and 2 others use whatsapp and your parents keep using Facebook Messenger even though the app is a useless resource hog.
                                  Everyone has Allo by default on their new phone already set up for them. There is no need for anything else.

                                  Since this is Google this will probably be abandoned after 2 years and shut down in the next 5. But it's ok since they will make another update to google hangouts that accidentally disables everything on Android phones and require manufacturers to preload 5 more useless Play apps on every phone.

                                    WTF are they thinking? Messenger, Hangouts, Voice, Allo and Duo... Looks like nobody is at the wheel... since 2012.

                                      They should implement it into Hangouts. The only reason (IMO) it's not implemented is because Hangouts is not used that widely, so they want to make tests, or want to make these popular?
                                      Looks cool though, especially Allo.