In version 25, automatic transcriptions for audio messages appeared, though this could be disabled in settings. Group chat controls, which could be switched on for new group chats, were added in November 2017. An in-chat translation feature appeared to some users in version 17 and rolled out to all in version 18, the latter of which was released in September. The following month saw message reactions being added, where users could tap on a heart below messages received. In June, the ability to make Google Duo video or audio calls directly from Allo chats was included. Complementing selfie stickers, Google also launched "selfie clips", short looped videos of the user's face. Later the same month, Fast Company reported that Google updated Allo to add cartoon stickers on selfie photos, powered by artificial intelligence technology capable of producing "563 quadrillion face" animations. In May, the app was updated to allow users to backup and restore chats, it added an Incognito mode for group chats, and introduced previews for links.
Also in March was an update that let Android users send various types of files, including PDFs, documents, APKs, ZIP archives, and MP3 tracks through Allo. In March 2017, a GIF library was added in the compose bar, as well as easier one-tap access to the Google Assistant, and animated emoji. In addition, background themes for chats were added at the same time. Smart Smiley also showed suggestions when starting a new conversation. In November 2016, Google introduced Smart Smiley, a feature that suggested emojis and stickers depending on the mood of the message. Additional features include "Whisper Shout", which allows the user to increase or decrease the size of a message to represent volume, and the ability to draw on photos before sending them. Allo was one of the apps that supported Google Assistant, a virtual assistant that allows users to ask questions and receive answers in a two-way conversational nature.
Similar to the smart reply feature seen in Google's Inbox app, it learnt from the user's behavior to adapt its suggestions over time. The feature also analyzed images sent to the user in order to suggest responses. Allo's "Smart reply" feature used Google's machine learning technology to suggest a reply to the last message, which could be selected from a few options. The Whisper Shout feature being demonstrated at Google I/O 2016Īllo was based on phone numbers, not by social media or email accounts. The Allo service shut down completely on March 14, 2019, with its homepage recommending users to try Google's Messages app as an alternative. A final update to the app allowed users to export chat messages from Allo. In December 2018, Google announced they would end support for Allo in March 2019. This was implemented within the Android Messages app used for SMS. Anil Sabharwal, the new head of the communications group at Google, stated that its employees would work primarily on its implementation of the carrier-based Rich Communication Services (RCS) Universal Profile, under the branding "Chat". In April 2018, it was reported that Google would be "pausing" development of Allo.
In August, Google Allo for web went live for Android users using Google Chrome, while Firefox, Opera and iOS support was rolled out in October. In February 2017, a tweet by Google's Vice President of Communications Nick Fox showed a screenshot of Allo running as a web app, along with the words: "Still in early development, but coming to a desktop near you." A further tweet from Fox in May stated that the web client was "a month or two from public release." During the unveiling of Google's Pixel smartphone in October 2016, it announced that Allo would be pre-installed on the Pixel phones, along with its sister app, Google Duo. At the time, Google said that it would release Allo in summer 2016, and they launched it on September 21, 2016. However, at launch, privacy was significantly rolled back, with Google keeping logs of messages indefinitely (or until the user deletes messages) in an effort to improve the app's "smart reply" feature.Īllo was announced at Google's developer conference on May 18, 2016. Users could also resize messages and add doodles and stickers on images before sending them.īefore launch, Google touted strong privacy in the app, with particular emphasis on messages stored "transiently and in non-identifiable form". It included a virtual assistant that generated automatic reply suggestions and an optional encrypted mode known as incognito mode. The app used phone numbers as identifiers, allowing users to exchange messages, files, voice notes, and images. Google Allo was an instant messaging mobile app by Google for the Android and iOS mobile operating systems, with a web client available on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera. English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish