Facebook Will Be Envious Of Google’s New Messaging App Allo

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Facebook has been working to integrate bots with Messenger. Now Google has gone a step further and created a messaging app around its most useful app, Google Search, notes CNN. Google’s messaging app, Allo, was announced in May, but it has now become available for download.

Google launches Allo

Allo has many fun features like group chatting, the option to let messages expire, stickers, etc. The only big thing that is missing in this amazing app is the ability to make audio and video calls, but that was intentional. The search giant wants its users to use Duo, its video calling app launched in August, for video and audio calls, notes CNN.

Both Allo and Duo, which are designed to make mobile messaging easier, are free and available for download on Android and iOS. The search giant is calling Allo a smart messaging app because it learns things from your conversations and suggests things for you to say. The suggested messages come in text bubbles that can be sent by tapping. During a test chat, to a message that read, “How are you?” Allo suggested, “Very good!” The app also thought they might say “Yeah,” “Nice,” “Lol,” or “Haha” in response to a message that said, “Interesting,” reports CNN.

The Google Assistant inside of Allo is similar to a chabot. Facebook has done several things to get this inside its own messaging service, but it needs to know which bots the user wants to talk to. The user can set messages to self-destruct or be super private.

Allo, like Snapchat, allows you to draw on pictures before sending them to friends. Also there is a large selection of sticker packs that users can download to convey feelings such as elation or dread.

Facebook challenged on WhatsApp privacy policy

In another threat to Facebook, two Indian students, Shreya Sethi and Karmanya Singh Sareen, have filed public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court asking for a rollback of recent policy updates by Facebook-owned WhatsApp. Sareen and Sethi asked the court to order the government to frame guidelines for messaging applications so that the privacy of users is not compromised, according to Bloomberg.

A two-judge bench examining the petition issued notices to the Indian government, Facebook and WhatsApp asking them to document their stand for the court. The case will come up later this week. As of now, there has been no comment from Facebook about the case. WhatsApp said in a brief hearing in the Delhi court that it does not intend to share user content with Facebook except user names and phone numbers.

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