Google Allo and Google Duo - New apps for smart messaging and video calling

[rahul1117kumar]

Google launches Allo, a smart messaging app to take on WhatsApp

Google says Allo is a smart messaging app based on your phone number, and comes with set of unique features. One of them is what Google calls ‘WhisperShout’. As the name suggests, this feature basically lets you change the size of the text in order to express your emotions better. When you type a word, there is a slider on the right side that lets you drag a finger up or down to increase or decrease the size of the text.

The other feature is called ‘Ink’, which basically lets users doodle over photos. This feature is very Snapchat-like and lets you personalize a photo with freehand text or drawings. This being a smart messaging app, it also offers “smart replies” to messages. But Google says these are more than canned responses, and actually are based on what you usually type, your relationship with the friend you are chatting with and also the shared photos. The on stage demo showed a photo of a dog, and the app suggested replies like cute dog among others.

Google Assistant too is integrated into the Allo app, and it can proactively give suggestions from within the app itself. So instead of switching apps to search for something, you will be able to do a Google Search from within the app window itself. For example, if you are chatting about having Italian dinner, Google Assistant will show up restaurant options. All this can be done by simply typing ‘@google’.

Besides all the unique features, Allo is also big on security. Like WhatsApp, Allo comes with end-to-end encryption, and there is also a browser-like Incognito mode. As the name suggests, chats on incognito mode are private and expire soon after you exit. These chats give private notifications as well.

Google I/O 2016 live: Google launches Allo, a smart messaging app to take on WhatsApp | Latest Tech News, Video & Photo Reviews at BGR India

 

[rahul1117kumar]

Google announces Duo, a video calling app to take on Skype

Along with Google Home, a Wi-Fi enabled hands-free interactive speaker, and Google Assistant, a new virtual assistant to have conversations, Google at I/O 2016 conference also announced two new apps Allo and Duo. While Allo is a smart messaging app, Duo is a one-to-one video calling app based on your phone number.

It comes with a feature called ‘Knock Knock’ which shows a live video stream of that caller as soon as it starts ringing, before you pick up the call. Based on webRTC, the video calls that you make to your friends are also encrypted. Google offered a demo of the app at work while pointing out that the video instantly starts the moment you answer the call.

Google also pointed that Duo is reliant irrespective of the network and proactively monitors the quality of network speed multiple times every second. It can also seamlessly switch between cellular and Wi-FI network when needed.

Google I/O 2016 live: Google announces Duo, a video calling app to take on Skype | Latest Tech News, Video & Photo Reviews at BGR India

 

[Bapun]

Allo, a smart messaging app.

Link to Playstore - Allo

Duo, a video calling app for everyone.

Link to Playstore - Duo

 

[Anup Tiwari]

Will it free ?

 

[Sarkar]

what about Hangout ? what's the difference between Duo and Hangout ?:huh

 

[rahul1117kumar]

A new report says that the new additions to Google's app roster will mean nothing for Hangouts and Messenger. Supposedly, Google has confirmed that all four apps will coexist peacefully. Google said that it will continue to invest in Hangouts and keep it separate. This does make sense, because while Allo looks interesting, it is more in the model of WhatsApp -- an internet-based messaging system tied to your phone number, but doesn't handle SMS.

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that all of the apps will remain separate forever. Given that Hangouts does web chats in addition to SMS handling and can do video chats as well, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to have Allo and Duo splitting the market. Depending on adoption, we still wouldn't be surprised to see a merge in a year or two, or for Hangouts to disappear and give way to Messenger for SMS and Allo for instant messaging.

 

[Bapun]

Duo v12 enables auto-hiding controls, hints at low-bandwidth audio mode and a couple logical notifications [APK Teardown + Download]

Unofficial Changelog:

• Auto-hiding video chat controls

Google Duo 12.0.157862282.DR12_RC17 APK Download by Google Inc. - APKMirror