When Google announced that the Hangouts app for Android would consolidate all messages, such as messages sent and received via the Hangouts chat along with SMS and MMS messages, many were a little upset as this seemed rather messy, not to mention a bit confusing when you’re trying to figure out which chat is which.
Well with Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google has unveiled a new app found on the home screen which some have mistaken as Google’s way of removing/replacing the Hangouts app. If you were a fan of Hangouts, fret not because it is not going anywhere. Instead this new Messenger app is basically an app designed specifically for SMS and MMS.
This means that if you weren’t a fan of having Hangouts receive ALL messages, the Messenger app will be able to separate your SMS and MMS from Hangouts, thus keeping your Hangouts app “clean” from other messages that might end up being confusing. According to Google, “Messenger will be specially designed to be a quick and easy way to send and receive SMS and MMS messages on Android.”
The Hangouts app will still remain part of Android and will come bundled, except that instead of being found on the home screen, it has been removed in place of Messenger and can be found in the app drawer instead.
Filed in . Read more about Android 5.0 Lollipop, Apps, Google and Hangouts.