Google Hangouts is dead, long live Google Chat
If you try to access the Hangouts website, it’s still there (at the time of writing this article), but you’ll see a redirect to Google Chat there. My conversation list is still there, and the same goes for my colleagues. So the redirect is still not automatic, even though Google did write the following: “Starting November 1, 2022, Hangouts on the web will redirect to Chat on Web”. There is a ‘Go to Google Chat’ link there, though. We’re guessing that this website will be completely gone soon, and that the redirect will be fully automatic once that happens. Google Hangouts had a good run, based on Google standards at least. The service launched in May 2013. It had a lot of potential, but years ago, Google simply stopped caring about it, for whatever reason. Instead of supporting the app, and throwing everything it has at it, Google opted to release a number of other services instead. We all remember Allo, which also got phased out over time. The Hangouts service was Google’s go-to platform for messaging and video calls, but something changed over time.
Google Chat vs Google Messages
That is a shame, but it is what it is. You can now opt for Google Chat, if you’re not afraid Google may kill that off as well. Oh, there’s also a Google Messages platform as well, but that’s supposed to serve a different purpose. Google is once again confusing users a bit. As Google Chat is even integrated into Gmail on the web, while Google Messages is not. You can use Google Messages to send SMS, MMS, and RCS (images, videos, etc.) messages, but you cannot communicate with Google Chat users. Google Chat was exclusive for businesses, but then Google made it available to everyone. It would be much easier for everyone if Google finally settled on one app, and pushed that one all the way.
