[autotravis]

"Google is building a new mobile-messaging service that taps its artificial intelligence know-how and so-called chatbot technology to try to catch up with rivals..."

Or they could, you know, fix notifications in Android's Hangouts app.

[tw04]

Or, you know, bring back off the record conversations. The ability to delete individual messages/pictures out of conversations. Encrypt conversations by default, and stop requiring chrome for the desktop apps to work.

[ericfrederich]

Or, you know, make video calls in HangOuts not suck.

[toomuchtodo]

It's hilarious because everyone in this sub-thread is correct. Its why I moved to an iPhone 6 and use iMessages and Facetime for all of my messaging/communications needs.

No fan boy, just someone who likes things to work when I need it. Its like Google doesn't care at all that the experience sucks.

[unsignedint]

The biggest problem of that is that it only works if you can assume everyone in your contact list uses iOS. How do you deal with that problem? (I'm just curious...)

[toomuchtodo]

Everyone in my immediate family, as well as my colleagues and my immediate friends have iPhones. Network effects I guess.

I only have two or three friends without iPhones. We simply text or call back and forth.

[s3r3nity]

This -- I recently switched to Android thinking "iPhones are luxury phones. Surely a bunch of my friends use Android." Was immediately known as "Green Bubbles" guys for a few weeks by family and friends.

[muddi900]

I have yet to find a video call platform that works cross platform as well as Hangouts.

[s3r3nity]

Skype has always been the gold-standard for me. Pretty tough to beat.