Roger Fingas
Allo, once the vanguard platform of Google's plans for messaging, will officially shut down in March 2019.
Until April people will be able to export any existing conversation histories they have, Google said in a blog post. Allo was originally launched in September 2016, and blended in machine learning technology such as Google Assistant.
The platform never gained widespread popularity however, and features like Smart Reply, GIFs, and desktop support were eventually wrapped backed into the Android Messages app. Development efforts will now concentrate on Messages.
Allo is available for both iPhone and Android. On the former, Allo users will have to switch to alternatives like iOS Messages, Signal, Telegram, or Facebook Messenger.
GIFs and desktop clients are now fairly common for messaging platforms such as Apple's. Google's Smart Reply is still fairly unique though, suggesting common ways of responding to someone based on contextual information.
Google is dependent on iOS customers not so much for app reach as search and advertising. The company is believed to have paid Apple $9 billion or more to remain the default search engine in Safari, exposing iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to its ad network.
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Andrew O'Hara
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Andrew Orr
Charles Martin
17 Comments
Google killing Allo messaging service, sending iOS users elsewhere.......to like iMessage?Guess it didn't stick? Surprised google didn't change the name to hide the failure. Change it to something like Android Messages or gMessage. Like they usually do.
Something new and different.
Those 12 people that used Allo will have to find some alternative I guess. I downloaded it when it first came out to try Assistant but if no one else uses it, it's totally useless. I literally had no one to send a message to. Considering how many great features Google comes up with on their various messaging/email apps, I wish they'd just stick with one and make it work. I'm about to lose Inbox which I love, even if half the features have moved to Gmail. It sounds like they are finally adding Keep functionality back into Assistant soon though