Who would even take Google shutting down an app it launch fairly recently as news? The last several years have seen the company shuttering services suddenly, even those showing incredible promise.
Yet another one is heading to Google's chopping block, as recent rumors suggest. It's Allo, the messaging service that came out in 2016. It's got plenty of features that make it a punch above the messaging app landscape, with the ability to share stickers, voice clips, and images. It can even convert selfies into stickers with the help of neural networks.
Most importantly, it served as a breeding ground for Google's then-early implementation of a more dynamic and context-aware iteration of Google Assistant.
Google Allo Shutting Down?
9to5Google is the first one to report about the rumored shutdown, noting that it comes about eight months after Chrome, Comms, and Photos VP Anil Sabharwal revealed that the company was pressing pause on investment of the messaging app. It also pointed out that not only is Allo having issues with functionality, but that the team working on the app has apparently been tasked to work on Android Messages instead. If true, that would certainly make sense — Google has been putting emphasis on Rich Communication Services, or RCS, of late.
Rich Communication Services
RCS is said to replace SMS entirely. Last year, Google announced that it was working with every major carrier in the world to speed up RCS adoption. Similar to iMessage, RCS allows users to receive read receipts and also see in real-time when a message is delivered. They'll also be able to send images and audio clips, start group chats, and send high-resolution images.
In that regard, Allo going away doesn't really seem too tragic, especially since it seems Google merely used it as a test drive for features that would also appear on RCS. Allo is the latest in a series of messaging apps from Google to compete with the likes of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Aside from the features mentioned above, it also has other crucial functionalities, such as end-to-end encryption. Despite this, the app never got the same traction as its rivals. That could be because of a number of factors, including the fact that the messaging landscape is currently saturated as of the moment.
Thoughts of Google Allo shutting down? Do you find the messaging app useful or awkwardly placed in Google's product portfolio? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound them off in the comments section below!
