Google rolls out standalone messenger app

Published November 14, 2014 11:18am

Users of Android phones who don't quite dig the stock SMS app but find Hangouts too slow or annoying might want to give this new standalone messenger app a try.

Dubbed Google Messenger, the app recently went live on the Play Store and is the stock SMS app for Android 5.0 (Lollipop), Android Police reported.

"This new app is the stock SMS/MMS handler in Android 5.0, but also can be downloaded to other devices with SMS/MMS capabilities, provided they run Android 4.1 or higher," it said.

It said the app allows users to share pictures and videos from the chat dialog, search contacts and conversations, and even block SMSs.

The app also allows sending audio messages, color messaging threads, and emoji.

On the other hand, Android Police said this could be an alternative for users who don't quite like Hangouts, which integrates SMS with Google chats.

'Confused Android approach'

Meanwhile, a separate article on The Guardian said the app may be confusing for Android users as it duplicates the functions of existing apps.

It described Google Messenger as a stripped-back text messaging app that can only send and receive SMS and MMS.

The new app cannot send messages over the Internet like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or Hangouts.

But The Guardian also said this may indicate "conscious uncoupling," which it said allows Google and others to "update the core apps on an Android phone through the Google Play store, rather than having to wait for updates to the operating system."

"Android’s ability to choose which messaging apps you use even for core functions is great, but Google’s app duplication simply confuses and that’s before third-party apps are installed," it added.

Not alone

The Guardian also noted Google is not the only company with redundant apps.

"Facebook does exactly the same thing with four separate messaging apps. There’s WhatsApp, then Facebook Messenger, Instagram and Slingshot. Each serves a slightly different function, but ostensibly they’re all messaging apps," it said.

But The Guardian added rival Apple’s locked-down approach isn’t quite right either.

"Choice on Android is a very good thing, but Google should let users actually choose to install other apps rather than confusing the issue out of the box," it said. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

Tags: google, googleandroid, googlemessenger