Michal Ždanský Hangouts, Google's platform for chatting, VoIP and video calling with up to fifteen people, has not been very popular among iOS users. This was mainly due to the not very successful application, which rather seemed like a web version wrapped in an iOS jacket, which was especially reflected in the speed. Hangouts 2.0 is clearly a big step forward in this regard.
The first noticeable change is the new design adapted to iOS 7, finally including the keyboard. Google has completely redesigned the user interface. The previous version only offered a list of recent conversations with the option to start a new one via the plus button, which displayed a list of all contacts. The new interface is more sophisticated, and for good measure. The bottom part of the screen contains navigation for switching between all contacts (to start a conversation), favorite contacts (you can add people you chat with the most there, for example), hangouts history and finally phone calls within Hangouts.
The iPad application, which in the previous version looked more like a stretched version for the phone, also received special attention. The application now uses two columns. The left column contains the aforementioned tabs with contacts, favorites, hangouts and call history, while the right column is intended for conversations. In landscape mode, there is still a colored bar on the far right, which you can drag to the left to start a video call. If you're holding the iPad in portrait mode, just drag the conversation column to the left.
You will also find some news in the conversations themselves. You can now send animated stickers, which you can find in a large number of IM applications, including Facebook Messenger and Viber. You can also send up to ten-second audio recordings; that's a feature that Google seems to have borrowed from WhatsApp. Finally, your current location can also be shared in conversations, for example for quick navigation to a meeting place. Again, a function we know from other IM applications.
The previous version also had issues with rapid battery drain. Hangouts 2.0 seems to have finally solved this problem as well. Google's communication platform definitely had something to fix on iOS, as the previous application was almost unusable in many ways. Version 2.0 is definitely a step in the right direction, it feels much more native and is significantly faster. The navigation is solved excellently and adequate iPad support was a must. You can download Hangouts for free in the App Store.
[app url=”https://itunes.apple.com/cz/app/hangouts/id643496868?mt=8″]
A completely useless and useless application. A classic about Google
The application is a great idea to connect instant messaging and sms on Android. Plus available via web, iOS, Android, OS X and Win.. A much better tool than iMessage… in my opinion. Try it for a few days :)
A smartphone, a completely useless thing.
I don't know what the developers of these apps are thinking, that we will have 10 such apps in our device and wonder where anyone is? So she never pressured me for SMS and now it's a shame to talk with an unlimited tariff, besides, imessenger and facetime are unbeatable in my opinion, if they have and the other side of reason and the iPhone.
For example, I use communication via Google+ and Hangouts and I really like the new application