Google is shutting down its Allo messaging service

Google yesterday announced that it has closed a messaging service with Allo, a messaging service launched in September 2016, together with Duo.

Allo users can use the application until March 2019 and export their chat history with instructions posted here . In short, what users need to do is ensure that they use the latest version of Allo on their device. Select Settings> Chat> Export messages from chats or Export saved media from chats and select where they should be saved.

Messages are exported to a CSV file, media attachments are instead delivered as zip archive. In March 2019 all Allo messages and backups will be deleted.

Google has left a bad impression regarding message service. The company tried to enter the market several times during the past decade, but failed to get enough traction on the market each time.

Hangouts, which is said to have been closed to consumers will continue to exist according to Google. The Hangout Chats and Hangout Meets will only be available to the Enterprise.

Duo, the application for video calling, also lives on and will not undergo the same fade as Allo. The app sees “strong growth and engagement” according to Google.

Google’s big guess this time is on Messages, a chat experience based on RCS that the company builds on the Android device to position it as a direct competitor to Apple’s iMessage.

More than 175 million Android users already use messages according to Google. Google introduced features such as Smart Replies or desktop support from Allo in Messages and plans to bring the “best of” Allo to Messages.

Allo, which experienced heavy competition from the start, was not a terrible application. Some users, including myself, did not really want to invest in another Google communications application that would likely meet the face of its predecessors.

Google was criticized by privacy lawyers for storing messages in a way that would allow access to the business. to them; This opened the door for law enforcement requests, which would then also have access to the chat history of a user on legal request.

Although Allo supported incognito mode to prevent that, it never had the chance against messaging applications that had encrypted messages that only chat participants could read.

Now You : Are you an Allo user? Which message service do you use in the first place?