In a recent blog post titled “7 New Google Chat Features for Effortless Communication with Friends and Family,” Google has reminded users of the platform’s suitability for personal messaging alongside its traditional enterprise communication capabilities.
The latest additions to Google Chat include intuitive features like Smart Compose, message editing and quoting, group message read receipts, link insertion, automatic hiding of inactive direct messages and spaces after seven days, and integration with third-party Chat apps.
What sets this announcement apart is Google’s deliberate positioning of Google Chat as more than just a tool for business communication. It is important to note the evolution of Google’s messaging services, which transitioned from Google Talk (gchat) to Google Hangouts and Hangouts Chat before becoming Google Chat.
The transition of classic Hangouts to Google Chat for free users began in 2021, enabling them to utilize this communication app for personal purposes. Initially, the company positioned the free Chat as a means to collaborate on personal projects using Spaces (formerly Rooms), similar to platforms like Slack and Discord.
However, the primary focus of Google Chat has undeniably been on enterprise usage. This recent framing shift indicates Google’s surprising interest in appealing to a broader audience. Notably, the Chat and Spaces tabs in Gmail are not enabled by default and require manual configuration in settings, unlike the integrated Meet feature.
The standalone Google Chat client listings reinforce this emphasis, highlighting its purpose as an intelligent and secure communication and collaboration tool designed for teams. While the app is suitable for personal communication, its true advantage lies in the widespread availability of Gmail on Android devices. Furthermore, the dual-column tablet UI of the standalone app offers a modern user experience. Google is expected to introduce a significant “Timeline” home screen redesign later this year, potentially accompanied by a new icon.
Nevertheless, the discontinuation of gchat and the classic Hangouts has undoubtedly affected user trust, especially considering Google’s temporary promotion of Allo as an alternative.
The primary obstacle for Google, however, is the existence of Messages and RCS (Rich Communication Services). The company has not provided a clear differentiation between the two products or outlined when one should be preferred over the other. From a user experience perspective, Google Chat is conveniently accessible across various instances without the need for QR code sign-in, while an email address serves as a more versatile identifier compared to a phone number.
Nonetheless, in terms of long-term commitment and seamless integration with Android, Messages remains the preferred choice for personal communication. Google Chat can be employed in a similar fashion, but its core focus will always be on enterprise usage unless substantial changes occur.