Google may kill Hangouts in 2020, but only for consumers (UPDATE)

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Google may kill Hangouts in 2020, but only for consumers (UPDATE)
UPDATE: We've been approached by a Google spokesperson who revealed in a statement additional details about the company's plans for Hangouts services. You can read all about it below:


Google is killing another app two years from now, a new report by 9to5google claims. Hangouts is supposed to remain a business-only service from 2020, as consumers won't be allowed to use it any longer.

Sources familiar with Google's plans claim Hangouts for consumers will be killed sometime in 2020, which shouldn't be surprising since the search giant is working towards making RCS (Rich Communications Services) the standard messaging service for the Android ecosystem.

Although consumers will be given other messaging options to replace Hangouts, the service will remain available to business customers as part of the G Suite package (Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet).

Even if this comes out as a rumor, Google has been hinting to Hangouts' demise after announcing a new RCS Chat feature built within the Android Messages app. As more carriers start adding support for RCS messaging, a superior solution compared to Hangouts, it's only fitting that Google discontinues the product when it becomes obsolete.

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