Hangouts update: more creative interactions, suggestions

Ida Torres

Text messaging is so early 2000s. These days, it's all about free messaging apps on your smartphones. With the popularity of such services as Viber, Whats App, LINE, Messenger and the likes, people are finding it more exciting to exchange messages with loved ones through these rather than the boring, simplistic SMS. Hangouts has been another popular messaging app, but some find it a little too staid or boring. But a new update aims to change that impression with new features that will make your interactions more exciting.

Stickers and fun emoticons are some of the ways that messaging apps have changed the way we communicate digitally. The Hangouts update adds 16 new sticker packs, including penguins, koalas, cats and other fun creatures, and they promise that more are coming soon. And if you want your video calls to be more "stylish", you can add filters like sepia, black and white, vignette, etc while you're doing the call.

It will be easier for your friends and family members (but hopefully not strangers) to find you on Hangouts as long as they have your number. And when you want to find out if your friends are actually online so you can talk to them, you can now look at the timestamp for when they were "last seen." Now when you want to hide from said friends, that is another question. Hangouts is also becoming "smarter" by giving your suggestions when you're chatting. Like when your friend is asking you where you are, it will give you options for answers based on your location.

Google says that they have a few more surprises that you can explore when you update to the latest version. The Android update started rolling out to users through Google Play Store yesterday, but the "last seen" timestamps will take a little bit longer to be incorporated in the app.

SOURCE: Google

source: androidcommunity