Counting Time for Google Hangouts

The time for Hangouts on Google is slowly running out. The feature has been slowly disappearing over the course of several months, and in February, Google officially closed it down for Workspace users. All the available chats will move to Chat, and the mobile app isn’t an exception.

If you prefer to use Hangouts in Gmail from the web, then you have a little bit more time. Google decided to keep the feature running until July, and after the company will warn the users to switch to Chat. In addition, the desktop site for Hangouts will be up until November, and everyone will receive a notice that the app is transferring to Chat at least a month in advance. 

Take note that Hangouts is not GChat, or as it is known, Google Talk. The said app was suspended previously, even though Hangouts was supposed to take its place. Nevertheless, these notices are not new since Google had plans to transfer users from Hangouts to Chat back in 2018, making the app available for everyone in 2020.

Don’t be afraid for your chats in Hangouts because Google will safely move all the data to Chats, and with the Takeout service, you can also download your information beforehand. Chat might seem like something unusual, but Google wants to make sure that the app still carries vital features like direct calls, threads in Spaces, and multiple sharing of images. 

Of course, there will be more updates that will make Chat easier to use. For now, we can only start to say our goodbyes with Hangouts. The feature worked for a long time, but some changes must be made to ensure the success of the company. Google will test out additional features to make Chat appealing to most users, and soon enough, we will get used to a new app.

Have you ever used Chat? Will you miss connecting with people on Hangouts? Please, let us know your opinion in the comments below.