Google creates a new Search-infused messaging app that seems to serve no purpose at all
A fresh new Google app has been announced. This one is coming to Android today (it’s not yet live on Google Play, but it will be) alongside an iOS version. It’s called Google Spaces, a messaging app which aims to provide a simple conversation area for a small group of friends, co-workers, colleagues or what have you to talk about whatever topic they want.
The app lets you share photos, video and — well — words, just like every other messaging app out there can. The difference between those apps and this app is that Google implanted YouTube, Google Search and Chrome inside so you can find those photos and videos — and, perhaps, words — without having to keep switching between apps.
It’s like what the GBoard already does on its own… except it’s a full messaging platform. Because we don’t already have Google+ Communities and Hangouts.
Oh, Google also says a big reason this app will be cool is because Spaces don’t require extra accounts. Just send a link to someone via Text Message, Email or what have you, and they are instantly added to Spaces. That’s assuming they have the app installed, of course, which doesn’t solve the issue of having to make sure everyone you want to talk to downloads the app, so there’s still that inconvenience.
Sorry, Google, but quite frankly we’re getting just a bit confused with what you’re doing. Wasn’t Hangouts supposed to be the flexible messaging suite that everyone needed? Couldn’t this have just been introduced as a new feature in an update? Couldn’t these features come to any app with the Gboard that you have yet to give us?
We don’t need more apps to solve the problem of having too many apps. That sounds dumb, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. Take the apps you already have, and make them better — that’s how you tackle the issue. Unless your plan is to simply scrap Hangouts and Google+, we can’t imagine a world where this app was near the top of anyone’s priority list.