After the successful launch of Google’s video-chat app Duo, the company has released a much-awaited messaging app Allo on the Play store and the Apple iTunes App store. The Allo app’s abilities were introduced at I/O 2016 back in May.
And finally, the public version has been released to Android and iOS devices. It has features like end-to-end encryption and temporary private messages. But the most eye-catching feature is that it acts as a virtual digital assistant dubbed the Google Assistant and is powered by the company’s advanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology.
Google notified another notable aspect of Allo that comes fully encrypted – users can activate the incognito mode to secure their conversation. When the user chats in Incognito mode, messages will have end-to-end encryption. In addition to that, Google Allo provides a couple of more privacy options such as discreet notifications and message expiration times like Snapchat.
When we send messages to people using Google Allo, it will create smart replies akin to those found in Inbox – but those smart replies are carefully calibrated to both the content and context of your conversation. So, for example, if someone sends a picture of them skydiving, you can immediately tap on a series of well-tuned responses: “So brave,” “How fun,” and “So exciting!”.
We’ve been having conversations with Google ever since olden days, when you typed something in a box and then maybe typed more into the box to get better answers, says Scott Huffman, Google’s VP of engineering for Allo.
According to Huffman, the main intent was to make Google Assistant a true conversational partner, not just one you talk with one-on-one.
That means, if you’re chatting with friends about dinner using Google Allo, you can simply type “@google,” and the assistant chimes in with restaurant recommendations nearby.
How It Works: –
You don’t need a Google account to sign up – just enter your phone number, and you’re ready to go. Like other messaging services, including WhatsApp, which use your number to register you, Allo only works on one of your devices at a time.
This app lets you chat with anyone from your address book right away. If they don’t have Allo, it’ll send them SMS messages which are free of cost for you, but it’ll cost them to send and receive texts.
After signing up you can send stickers, photos, and videos from your camera or gallery, as well as text messages that you can resize for emphasis. There’s also an option to draw or add text overlays on images before you send them.
The new app has already been rolled out, and you can download Google Allo for Android and iOS from Google Play and the iOS store.
