Google's Hangouts to operate alongside newly-announced Allo app

PanARMENIAN.Net - Google engineer Erik Kay announced a new smart messaging app called Allo that integrates Google services like YouTube, Maps, and Search, and will serve up "smart replies" and let users of the app chat with a new virtual assistant, Business Insider said.

Announced at the IO developers conference, the app aims to bring together all of Google's latest research in artificial intelligence, machine learning, voice recognition, and natural language processing.

"We're continuing to invest in Hangouts and it will remain a standalone product," a Google spokesperson told Business Insider.

Although the basics of Hangouts and Allo are the same — they let people communicate, funny stickers and photos included — Google won't kill Hangouts because it thinks the two serve different purposes.

For one, Hangouts is tied to Google's enterprise For Work products that's aimed at business customers, and which includes Gmail and Docs, and is available on desktop. Allo, by contrast, is mobile only, doesn't require a Gmail account, and is focused on the power of artificial intelligence, Business Insider says.

Right now, Allo users can chat with Google's new virtual assistant in the app, but the company also showed off an integration with OpenTable, for booking restaurants. And hinted that it plans to be very open, while not rushing into anything.