Google splits Hangouts into Chat for team messaging and Meet for video

Google has made major changes to its Hangouts messaging service for business purposes. Google splits the service into Chat and Meet. Hangouts Chat expands to include team messaging, while Hangouts Meet focuses on video chats.

With the split, Google appears to be targeting Allo and Duo for consumers, while Hangouts Chat and Meet is for the business market. Hangouts Chat allows users to create virtual chat rooms for projects, for example.

The service supports threaded group conversations and integrates into G Suite services such as Drive and Docs. Photos and videos can also be viewed directly in conversations and Google uses its search techniques to make it easier to find texts or other items in chats. G Suite users can test Chat through the Early Adopter Program. With the service, Google seems to compete with Slack. Microsoft is working on a similar service called Teams.

The other component of Hangouts is called Meet. This video conferencing service does not require a plug-in or download, but works in the browser via the web rtc standard. Participants can start video chats via an invitation in Google Calendar or an email. An ad hoc Meet conversation can also be started. The service supports video chats of up to thirty people. Hangouts Meet is available immediately and should be available to all G Suite customers in the near future.