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Google Hangouts Might Be Saying Goodbye To SMS Messaging Feature?

Updated on December 17, 2015

Hangouts

Google Hangouts App its that green icon app with the 2 white marks in it on photo at bottom
Google Hangouts App its that green icon app with the 2 white marks in it on photo at bottom

No SMS For you

Please say it is not so? According to some rumors and speculations, Hangouts could be losing its hottest feature yet, SMS. Hangouts were only just known for Instant messaging for Android users as well as iOS users. But for a while, it had lacked some features and according to some users was very buggy and laggy. Not too long ago, Google had fixed most of these issues and bugs and even allowed users on project Fi and Google Voice to merge their numbers to receive voicemails. SMS, and MMS. By allowing SMS and MMS into Hangouts, you would think this was giving the app the edge and more users would have adopted to it. So why would Google remove the SMS feature from Hangouts?

What is Google Up To?

I don't know if too many people are familiar with Google's own default SMS app called Messenger. Messenger is Google's new SMS and MMS app. It is to help you send and receive SMS and MMS messages to any phone. You are also able to send group texts as well as your favorite pictures, videos and even audio messages to your contacts. This app is available on the Google Play Store if you want to go ahead and give this app a try to replace your current SMS app or to see how it goes up against Google Hangouts. This is my biggest hunch that Google wants users to just use the Google Messenger app only for SMS and MMS messages and Hangouts for only video chats and Instant Messaging again. But wait, isn't this going backwards? Where we already using Hangouts for that at first? Now next is will this move affect the Google Voice and Project Fi users?

Instant Messaging image of Hangouts
Instant Messaging image of Hangouts | Source

Google Voice and Project fi

I know most of you know how much I love talking about Google Project Fi and how it works and feels that it is disrupting the wireless industry. I still believe that. Here is why. Those of you who are on Google Project Fi know most are using Google Hangouts for SMS and MMS and Instant Messaging to those who are using Hangouts for that. Well, it appears that us Fi users as well as Google Voice users won't be affected by this change if it is going to happen. So Hangouts SMS and MMS will still be available for those of you who use it on any device that has Hangouts including PCs and Laptops and iPads and tablets. No worries at all.

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Using GIFs in Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts

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