Google Allo - Smart messaging app that helps you say more and do more.

I'm trying to understand this ... so Hangouts: SMS and message supported Google Messenger: SMS supported Allo: Message supported but no 'real' SMS (can't even send photos or MMS) I'm not saying that sms/mms don't have flaws, but at least I don't have to consider whether the recipient of my message has whatever random messaging app is popular today. I'm tired of switching from one messaging app to another :( thanks but I think I'll stick with Google Messenger for now, I need the SMS support

Felt really underwhelmed till I started talking to Google Assistant. It can do anything, like a real assistant. Also this:

That twerking sticker... ಠ_ಠ

Still not in Aus :( Looks like a much better designed product than I have become used to from Google.

Google sure learned a lot since the first Hangout days. Their strong design language and willingness to innovate with incremental but smart design choices (slide send to enlarge? Yes!) definitely deserves cred. What is ultimately going to set this apart however is their ability to improve on "Google Now" ideas and bring that intelligence into a process that's viral, more natural and embedded into our daily lives.

@mchang @amitfulay so.... Google Apps (Google for Work, Google Cloud, whatever the next name change will be in 2 weeks)...... ETA or are we SOL for features like Calendar/Email/Photos, basically the entire app minus chat?

I know that we were not behaving well in the UK lately, but why such a punishment? Please tick that box in the next release!

I just don't get it, I really don't. How hard is it for a multi billion $ company to include sms fallback integration into conversations like iMessage, so that this can be used to message friends who don't have Allo yet? Good luck getting people to convince their friends to install yet another chat app. They're not going to leave WhatsApp and similar messaging apps for this, there's no advantage besides the gimmicky Google Assistant.

I guess everyone is drinking the google Kool aid again. Not encrypted by default ? Like seriously ?

@mchang Are you planning to allow third-party app integrations?