Just like Facebook messenger, Google Hangouts is now a standalone app. The internet giant which has been hogging the headlines after a major rejig in its top order and basic structure last week has built Hangouts its own website, without spinning it out of Gmail completely.
So, Google users can now message a friend or make a phone call by going to http://hangouts.google.com from today onwards. However, the popular product has not been able to break away from the Google domain, since it does not even own Hangouts.com.
Surfers who do not like their Gmail open all the time or use browsers other than Chrome, this becomes one of the many other options to access the messaging service without installing the Chrome extension. The photo in the background of this website changes every few seconds and has quick links to messaging, voice calling and video calling.
“From our new site you’ll be able to take advantage of the best of Hangouts in the browser, along with an inspiring image to get you through the day”, said Jordanna Chord, manager of the Hangouts growth team, on a Google+ post. “Check it out and let us know what you think”.
As other messaging and calling apps like Snapchat and Facebook owned messenger and Instagram, etc. are gaining in popularity, the move to make Hangouts a standalone app is being seen as a branding exercise by the search giant.
Leave a Reply