Google to shut down its smart messaging app Allo after March 2019
Google has stated that the smart messaging app Allo will no longer work after March 2019, as the company plans on putting its focus on improving its Android Messages app and video calling app Duo.
"Allo will continue to work through March 2019 and until then, you'll be able to export all of your existing conversation history from the app," Matt Klainer, Vice President, Consumer Communications Products at Google said in a blog post on Thursday.
Allo was launched in September 2016 in a bid to take on Google's messaging rival WhatsApp and Apple iMessage. Allo is an instant messaging mobile app for the Android and iOS mobile Operating Systems (OS), that comes with a web client available on Google Chrome, Opera browsers and Mozilla Firefox.
Google went on and paused investments in Allo earlier this year. The app came with some great features like Smart Reply, GIFs and desktop support into Messages that has over 175 million users.
"Given Messages' continued momentum, we've decided to stop supporting Allo to focus on Messages," Klainer said.
"We've learned a lot from Allo, particularly what's possible when you incorporate machine learning features, like the Google Assistant, into messaging," Klainer added.
Google has said that the company would continue on bringing more quality improvements based on Machine Learning that will make video calls with Duo more simple and reliable. Google, this year launched Duo support for iPad, Chromebook, Android Tablet and Smart Displays.
(With IANS inputs)
