A new version of Hangouts could be currently in the works... and it is purported that Google will wipe out a major feature: the ability to send and receive SMS and MMS messages.
If the rumor is to be believed, then Hangouts users may not be delighted.
Citing a source familiar with this matter, Phandroid says that it is likely Google will remove Hangout's SMS and MMS messaging by the time the next update is rolled out.
In the past, Google Hangouts had a slew of issues as an SMS and MMS app. However, Google already made a fix for those issues. Even so, it seems the Mountain View-based company could still pull this functionality from the app.
There are a few possible reasons why Google is taking this feature out.
First off, there is a probability that Google wants users to download its Google Messenger instead.
Google may also want to focus its attention on enhancing the messenger platform without worrying about this functionality.
The source, though, did not specify exactly why Google is taking this feature out of Hangouts.
If this move will push through, the possible downside is that quite a few users might prefer the unified experience rather than using separate apps.
However, Google Voice or Project Fi users will reportedly still be able to have the ability to use Hangouts for SMS and MMS.
Google has yet to release its official word with regard to its real plans for this feature.
Since a few of the discussed details are just assumptions based on hearsay, it's always best if you take this story with a grain of salt.
Meanwhile, Hangouts 5.0 was released in October, bringing in a ton of enhancements and bug fixes.
One modification Google added is improved GIF support. Google Voice users in Hangouts were also treated to a nifty new feature, the ability to compose group MMS. The company also improved the performance of the application.
