Based on what they've shared so far...
Allo: What iMessage should be
Duo: What FaceTime should be
It's a little surprising to see Google announce these as separate apps but it'll likely make more sense once we can start playing with them later this Summer (in hindsight, it's clear why Facebook split out Messenger).
@vm4canvasflip@rrhoover not what it "should have been." what it should be, for Android. iMessage pushed the boundaries of the day back then. Apple should be thinking and working on some big updates to messaging and video/voice for iOS 10. if not, it's a huge missed opportunity.
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@rrhoover What's the thinking to offer: Allo + Duo, Hangouts, Youtube In-App Messaging, & Spaces? I guess Google wants to give you enough options so you're not tied to one, but how do you know what your friends will actually use lol?
@nyactor I see it beneficial to have a private video with anyone. iOS users can easily video chat like face time with Android. I've missed so many moments having an iOS extended family..
Hard to see in which way Allo and Duo are better than iMessage and FaceTime. I'm not saying Apple's apps are great (far from it) but beyond the gimmicks of finding a restaurant right in the Allo app (such a First World Problem cliché), they need to offer something really compelling to muster enough traction beyond geeks and nerds. Google hasn't had a great track record in shipping truly useful apps in a long while so I'm not holding my breath for those 2 apps. Wait & see.
@bentossell@rfreling Did they mention if gboard will be available to Android today?
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@bentossell@rfreling Come on Ben you know how to set up a different Apple ID with a New York hotel address don't you??! Or is it just me that was that desperate to get it 😃
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@rfreling Agree, especially after all these years the video/audio quality of FaceTime & FT Audio still blow competitors out of water. But they're getting stale and some disruptions are absolute welcome.
If this doesn't integrate SMS, it's dead on arrival. iMessage is so widely used because you don't need to do anything. No app to download, nothing to setup, no convincing your friends to get anything, it just seamlessly integrates regular SMS conversations and more advanced iMessage conversations into the same experience.
This is nothing more than WhatsApp with Google search built in. I'm really hoping RCS messaging takes over, because as much as I love Google, they're utterly incompetent when it comes to messaging.
If Allo&Duo adopted by @android users it could be groundbreaking and one big step up for @android platform!
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Can't wait to use it on my iPhone. Apple is looking way behind the things going around...May be iPhone 6S could be my last Apple Phone.
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If true this will be a real game changer. No more "you there? I can hear you, can you see me?"
"Duo is a simple, fast one-to-one video calling app for everyone—whether you’re on Android or iOS, ***a fast or slow connection, in New York or New Delhi*** "
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@gollyjer It kinda seems like this is too good to be true. A lot of the issues with buffering and stuff were due the underlying network software. But if any company can get over that hurdle it's Google.
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@delsig I agree. The cellular network, the device hardware, the home wifi... these all screw up many a video conversation. Will be interesting to see how these apps respond.
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