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Shunal DokeMay 11, 2013 16:03:56 IST
Google has been working on its unified messaging service, which the company had earlier dubbed Babel. According to Techradar, however, the search giant is reconsidering the name. The messaging service will now be launched as Hangouts.
The new branding will apply to almost all of Google's messaging services, including Google Talk and the Google+ Messenger. Other than the name change, nothing new has been revealed about the messaging service, except that some emoticons will be differently coloured.
Hangouts will be the all-encompassing name
Earlier, it was believed that the messaging service will be named Babel. It will give users a seamless messenger experience across not just Android and Chrome OS, but also on rival platform iOS, besides making an appearance on the popular Google+ and Gmail. There is no mention of Google Voice, but there is a possibility that voice services will be merged into the service. Currently, it is being tested internally at Mountain View as a cross-platform service through those five platforms.
Users of the service will have access to the same conversation list from anywhere and any device. There will be a new UI on offer, which will be heavily conversation-based and with advanced group conversations. It will also allow users to send pictures among other files. Google also claims that the service will ship with improved notifications across devices, according to the source.
Talks about a unified messaging system have been doing the rounds for a while now. The several Google communications platforms don’t interact very well with each other, but theoretically could, as Google handles the development of all these services. These include Google Talk, Hangout, Voice, Google + Messenger, Chat for Drive collaboration, and the Google + chat client, but they do not work in synch. A cross platform solution would help Google compete with the likes of iMessage and BBM, while also delivering a key piece of technology for Android.
The service is set to launch for Android, Chrome, iOS, Google+ and Gmail.
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