Really want to keep my Pixel 2 XL but I can't get over how terrible the messaging is (iMessage)

[GSDer]

Not so popular, but better than WhatsApp.

Better in what sense? I haven't tried it but WhatsApp seems to work fine; what am I missing?

 

[Javier P]

Better in what sense? I haven't tried it but WhatsApp seems to work fine; what am I missing?

More options to customise your chats, faster, better control over mobile data, multiple accounts on the same device, you can use the same account on different devices and platforms ... Where it really shine is with group chats, much more power and options like quotes, mentions, hastags, pinned threads and chats ...

Quite powerful and easy to use.

 

[Ry]

Not for grown ups haha

What are you implying about iPhone owners?

 

[Ry]

Wouldn't this be Allo? It was introduced at I/O nearly a year ago and even mentioned in the post you quoted but it doesn't sound like you're aware of it. The fact that it's mostly overlooked by even enthusiasts on an Android forum says a lot about how much it's caught on.

I love Allo.

 

[Morty2264]

I have a FB account but don't use the mobile app or Messenger. And isn't Messenger a separate app than the mobile FB app?



Wouldn't this be Allo? It was introduced at I/O nearly a year ago and even mentioned in the post you quoted but it doesn't sound like you're aware of it. The fact that it's mostly overlooked by even enthusiasts on an Android forum says a lot about how much it's caught on.

Yup, Messenger and Facebook are separate apps - I just meant that some users may use both as both are often integral to Facebook's mobile experience.

 

[sixty_four]

I love Allo.

Me too. Google Assistant integration with Allo is cool.

 

[LeoRex]

Google has all the pieces, too... If you took Allo, Duo, Hangouts and sprinkled in some SMS/MMS, they could put out a killer unified messaging app that can do everything, everywhere and have it preinstalled on 4/5s of the world's phones.

But they don't.

The only thing I can think of is they are very wary of regulatory stooges. The EU seems hell-bent on becoming the GOAT when it comes to 'this is why we can't have nice things', and have been acting like everyone's clueless uncle when it comes to tech issues... A iMessage like Google platform would probably have cause them to call for the head of Sundar.

 

[nucks26]

But then all your contacts need allo, Google really needs to get it together with all of these texting apps. They do a lot of things great, but this texting thing is an issue.

I'm surprised at how long Google has let this drag on. I expected an iMessage competitor years ago. It's shocking how long overdue this is. However, they are in fact rumoured to be working on a big Android Messages update that will combat iMessage. Only time will tell.

 

[Ry]

I'm surprised at how long Google has let this drag on. I expected an iMessage competitor years ago. It's shocking how long overdue this is. However, they are in fact rumoured to be working on a big Android Messages update that will combat iMessage. Only time will tell.

Again RCS is the solution.

 

[nucks26]

I have a FB account but don't use the mobile app or Messenger. And isn't Messenger a separate app than the mobile FB app?



Wouldn't this be Allo? It was introduced at I/O nearly a year ago and even mentioned in the post you quoted but it doesn't sound like you're aware of it. The fact that it's mostly overlooked by even enthusiasts on an Android forum says a lot about how much it's caught on.

All of these platforms are useless. They all lack SMS integration. iMessage can seamlessly switch between an iMessage or a text message in one application. Google needs to make Android Messages the app to combat iMessage on Android.

 

[ClintRo]

Hangouts used to do messaging and texting.... Not sure why they went away from Hangouts. It worked fine and I had all my usual contacts on it already.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I love Allo.

Me too

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Hangouts used to do messaging and texting.... Not sure why they went away from Hangouts. It worked fine and I had all my usual contacts on it already.

Still wasn't seamless like iMessage though. You had to select whether you wanted to send the message as an IM or an SMS. Very clunky.

Also iMessage shows messages you receive on your Mac and you can respond right there from your keyboard. Hangouts/Allo doesn't do that unless you have the program/web app open, and even then it doesn't do anything with SMS.

It's a shame because if Google had an iMessage competitor, that'd make messaging so much easier.

 

[ClintRo]

Yea, it wasn't as seamless, but they could have focused on that instead of making Duo and Allo.

Even though I do like Allo, it is hard to keep convincing people to change apps.

 

[sixty_four]

All of these platforms are useless. They all lack SMS integration. iMessage can seamlessly switch between an iMessage or a text message in one application. Google needs to make Android Messages the app to combat iMessage on Android.

Point taken. SMS support is a glaring omission from Allo.

It would be a really great thing to have the best features of Allo, Hangouts, Messages, maybe Voice all wrapped up in a single app.

 

[nucks26]

Point taken. SMS support is a glaring omission from Allo.

It would be a really great thing to have the best features of Allo, Hangouts, Messages, maybe Voice all wrapped up in a single app.

Yes, and that application needs to be pre installed on every Android device. Google is clearly going in a more minimalistic direction, unlike Samsung. The Pixel line is the closest thing to an iPhone that Android has to offer, and in my opinion, the Pixel is the closet competitor to the iPhone. So if I'm Google and I want to steal some business from Apple, then getting an iMessage competitor pre installed on every Android device is an absolute priority.

 

[Morty2264]

Yes, and that application needs to be pre installed on every Android device. Google is clearly going in a more minimalistic direction, unlike Samsung. The Pixel line is the closest thing to an iPhone that Android has to offer, and in my opinion, the Pixel is the closet competitor to the iPhone. So if I'm Google and I want to steal some business from Apple, then getting an iMessage competitor pre installed on every Android device is an absolute priority.

You bring up a good point - I agree with you completely.

 

[Ry]

Google has all the pieces, too... If you took Allo, Duo, Hangouts and sprinkled in some SMS/MMS, they could put out a killer unified messaging app that can do everything, everywhere and have it preinstalled on 4/5s of the world's phones.

But they don't.

The only thing I can think of is they are very wary of regulatory stooges. The EU seems hell-bent on becoming the GOAT when it comes to 'this is why we can't have nice things', and have been acting like everyone's clueless uncle when it comes to tech issues... A iMessage like Google platform would probably have cause them to call for the head of Sundar.

How far would you have wanted to Google to go?

One message app that had separate could do SMS/MMS and Allo/Hangouts with the option to do Duo video calls?

Would you want Google to hijack a user's phone number like iMessage and detect if the user was sending to a person that also had (what I'm going to call "Google Play Service Messaging" enabled and route the message there instead of SMS/MMS?

How would you Google to solve Android to non-Android/iOS messaging?

 

[Ry]

Yes, and that application needs to be pre installed on every Android device. Google is clearly going in a more minimalistic direction, unlike Samsung. The Pixel line is the closest thing to an iPhone that Android has to offer, and in my opinion, the Pixel is the closet competitor to the iPhone. So if I'm Google and I want to steal some business from Apple, then getting an iMessage competitor pre installed on every Android device is an absolute priority.

How would you want this iMessage competitor to work?

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Yea, it wasn't as seamless, but they could have focused on that instead of making Duo and Allo.

Even though I do like Allo, it is hard to keep convincing people to change apps.

Agree, they could have made Hangouts work, but they went a different direction. I also really like Allo, but how am I going to convince all my friends/family to start using it? Also my workmates all SMS me, am I going to tell them to move to this Allo app as well?

SMS is easy because it's universal. Doesn't matter what phone someone has, you know if you send a text message, it'll get to them. The problem is that the SMS service is so bad. Granted it'll get better with RCS, but until that day comes, were stuck in this weird limbo where SMS sucks, but there's no really good alternative that checks all the boxes.

Personally, I'd rather Google go the iMessage route and beef up Allo, have it integrate with SMS, have it seamlessly send an IM/SMS just like iMessage and make it the default messaging app on Android phones.