Google releases Allo: A smarter messaging app to take on WhatsApp

Google recently released “Duo”, a video chatting app aimed to compete with Apple’s FaceTime. Now Google is hoping to take on Whatsapp and other chatting apps by releasing a new and smarter messaging app – Allo.

Google first previewed both Allo and Duo at their I/O conference back in May this year. Both these apps were met with a positive response due to their simplistic approach to text and video based communication. Duo has released a few days ago. Now Google is finally rolling out Allo for both Android and iOS.

What is special about Allo? Keep reading to know more about it.

Smart Reply

Smart reply is a built in feature of Allo which analyzes the content of the received message and suggests quick replies to save time. For example, if your friend asks you “Are you on your way?”, Allo will suggest yup or nope to save you the trouble of typing in a reply yourself.

Huge collection of stickers, photos, and emojis

Allo features 25 stickers custom sticker packs upon its release, which have been created by Google with collaboration from independent artists all around the world. You can insert pictures and emojis in your chat too which can be made larger or smaller by dragging the send button up or down to increase emphasis in a chat; you can also scribble on the photos to draw attention to its interesting aspects.

Incognito chats

Privacy is a big concern for many people these days. Some people do not want any third party to snoop around in their private conversations. For those cautious people, Google has implemented incognito chats which use end to end encryption to make sure your private conversations remain private.

Google assistant

Google has integrated a preview of its Assistant right inside the app itself. You can chat with the assistant it will answer your queries without ever leaving the app. It can also be called during chats and can quick check facts and make reservations to ensure smooth implementation of plans among friends. Its major functions include:

• You can easily move from discussing dinner with friends to making plans for the night, right in your chat. Just add the Assistant to your group chat and ask for movie times, local restaurants and more. You can also research travel destinations, flights and hotels together with friends.

• Get the latest info on everything from news, weather, traffic, sports, or your upcoming flights status. Ask the Assistant to send you daily updates on the information you care about.

• Ask your Assistant to share that funny YouTube video or play games with friends right in your group chat — for instance you can compete to guess a movie title based on a series of emojis.

When can I get my hands on it?

It is available on both Android and iOS. Global rollout is expected to be completed in a few days. You can pre-register on Play store to get a notification once its available on your device. You can read more about it on the official Google blog here.