Google Hangouts Update Comes to iOS

The latest Google Hangouts update adds some long-awaited features to the iOS version of the app. The first is one-tap location sharing. With this feature, users can share their location with their friends in a message with just one tap. Instead of asking their friends, “Where are you?”, in a message, users can now press one button which will then insert a Google Map into the conversation showing exactly where the person is.

It’s a smart feature on Google’s part, and one that integrates well with the rest of their technology offerings. The other major feature isn’t as exciting. Google Hangouts on iOS now allows you to add your phone number to the app to find other people who may be using the app from your phone book. Most other mobile messengers such as WhatsApp and WeChat have been behaving this way for a while now, and it’s one of the primary ways to add people to the app. Instead of asking for their e-mail address, you can just grab their number like you normally would.
Many people do not e-mail their personal friends anymore, which makes it difficult to exchange e-mail addresses. The last time the iOS app was updated was in October of this year. The Android version of Google Hangouts has had this update for about a month or so now. The Android version of Google Hangouts typically does get updates before the iOS version.
This isn’t strange or unusual in the slightest bit because Android is Google’s product, while iOS is Apple’s, a direct competitor. Google Hangouts is not as popular as Google would like it to be, but many people still use the app on a daily basis. It has all of the features that most people could ask for, but Google doesn’t promote it as heavily as they do with other apps.

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