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Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts is a communication platform developed by Google which includes instant messaging, video chat, SMS and VOIP features. It replaces three messaging products that Google had implemented concurrently within its services, including Google Talk, Google+ Messenger (formerly: Huddle), and Hangouts, a video chat system present within Google+. Google has also stated that Hangouts is designed to be "the future" of its telephony product, Google Voice, and integrated some of the capabilities of Google Voice into Hangouts. Users can be messaged by their Google+ accounts. [6]

Features
Hangouts allows conversations between two or more users. The service can be accessed online through the Gmail or Google+ websites, or through mobile appsavailable for Android and iOS (which were distributed as a successor to their existing Google Talk apps). However, because it uses a proprietary protocol[7] instead of theXMPP open standard protocol used by Google Talk, most third-party applications which had access to Google Talk do not have access to Google+ Hangouts.
Chat histories are saved online, allowing them to be synced between devices. A "watermark" of a user's avatar is used as a marker to indicate how far they have read into the conversation. Photos can be shared during conversations, which are automatically uploaded into a private Google+ album. Users can also now use coloremoji symbols in their messages.[18][19]
As with the previous Google+ Hangouts, users can also perform a group video chat with up to 10 users at a time.[20] In 2016 Google upgraded Hangouts to 25 concurrent users in HD video for Work/Education. The new Google Hangouts app oniOS integrates a Google Voice number to some extent, but on Android the SMS support in Hangouts doesn't fully integrate with Google Voice for calls or texts. Integration was first expected by 2014, but was deprecated in January 2016. The reason for the delay appears tied to Google switching away from the XMPP protocol it used, as mentioned above.[21]
For Google Chrome, users do not need to install a plugin. However, for Internet Explorer 11, the user must install the "Google Talk Plugin" to be able to use the video features.
In Android 4.4, Hangouts is integrated with text messages sending and receiving functions, which is the default SMS app on the Nexus 5. For other Android phones, users can choose to open the SMS function when they download the new version of Hangouts via Google Play. SMS conversations are shown in a drawer on the left side. The update also adds GIF support and a new location-sharing button, which allows the user to send their GPS location to their contacts.[22]
As of version 2.3 (September 12, 2014), Hangouts includes the ability to make free voice calls to other Hangouts users,[23] and charges users (via pre-registered credit) to call landline and mobile phones internationally except for calls to the United States and Canada which are free of charge.[24] Currently, Android users must have both the Google Hangouts[23] and Hangouts Dialer[25] apps installed if they wish to call landline or mobile telephone numbers via the public switched telephone network. On August 15, 2016, Google announced that Hangouts on Air will be discontinued on September 12. Users will have to utilize YouTube Live for live-streaming events.[26]


Hangouts Icon.png
Developer(s)Google
Initial releaseMay 15, 2013; 4 years ago
Stable release
Android21.0.162426697 / July 28, 2017; 2 months ago[1]
Android (Dialer)0.1.100944346 / September 1, 2015; 2 years ago[2]
Android (Meet)7.5.169498784 / September 29, 2017; 1 day ago[3]
Android Wear17.0 / February 2, 2017; 7 months ago[4]
iOS18.0.0 / August 9, 2017; 52 days ago[5]
Development statusActive
Operating system
TypeCommunication software
LicenseFreeware
Websitehangouts.google.com

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