Google to discontinue Hangouts, urges users to shift to Google Chat

According to the company, users who want to save a copy of their Hangouts data can utilize Google Takeout to download it until Hangouts id discontinued in November 2022.

Google started rolling out the redesigned "Google Chat" at the beginning of this year to replace the older "Hangouts' tool for Workspace customers. Google has revealed that it has begun the transition of current personal, free users of the platform to Google chat as the firm plans to totally discontinue the older Hangouts later this year.

According to the company, users who want to save a copy of their Hangouts data can utilize Google Takeout to download it until Hangouts id discontinued in November 2022.

According to a blog post by Ravi Kanneganti, Product manager for Google Chat, "We have continued to invest in Chat to enable people better collaborate and express themselves, and now we are making efforts to help remaining Hangouts users shift to Chat."

Google in a recent post shared that," as of right now, mobile users of Hangouts will receive an in-app message urging them to switch to the Chat app or Chat in Gmail. A similar request will be made to the users of the Hangouts Chrome extension to switch to Chat on web or download the Chat web app. Users using Hangouts in Gmail on the web will be upgraded to Chat in Gmail in July."

By switching to Google Chat, users will be able to edit Docs, Slides, or Sheets side-by-side, facilitating collaboration while maintaining the conversation, according to Google. Additionally, it has Spaces, a location designated for cooperation on specific topics.

Users of Hangouts will continue to get a notice for at least one month prior to the shutdown of Hangouts web. After that, Google Chat web will start automatically rerouting visitors from Hangouts web.

When Hangouts first debuted in 2013 , it was intended to replace GChat. The first Google Chat, also known as Google Talk was discontinued earlier this month, and it appears that the new Google Chat will be Google's fresh attempt to deliver a flawlessly developed instant messaging service for devices after Hangouts meets a similar demise in November this year.