Google Hangouts will disappear in 2021. Let's organize what happens next

Google's communication products are confusing...

Google Hangouts is set to die in 2021, replaced by Google Chat (and Google Meet). Longtime Google Hangouts users (Hangouts has been around for seven years), is there anything I should do? What about years of chat logs and is there an alternative to Gmail's Hangouts box? You worry about that.

Google's communication products are already difficult to understand, and what you can do with a personal account and a business account are different. unfolded in a way.

Anyway, what is clear is that Google Hangouts is gone and replaced by two Google business products (formerly G Suite, now Google Workplace). Migration is not immune.

The two business products that have replaced Google Hangouts are Google Chat and Google Meet. Why are there two...? If you don't understand it, I'll explain.

What are Google Chat and Google Meet? What is Google Hangouts in the first place?

"Google Chat", which replaces Hangouts, is a communication tool that allows you to use text chat and Google Meet video calls, so it's OK to recognize it as Google's version of Slack or Microsoft Teams. You can have text conversations such as direct messages and group discussions on public and private boards.

On the other hand, "Google Meet" is Google's version of Zoom that allows you to make video calls with one or more people. Meet was recently introduced to classic Hangouts, so when you start a group video call, a Google Meet link appears and you can share it.

Actually, the functionality of Hangouts is being cut little by little. In the last few months, Google ended support for Google Fi and Google Voice integration for Hangouts, as well as the ability to call phone numbers from the Hangouts app.

It seems that functions will be gradually removed from Hangouts in the future. Google has officially announced that all users will be able to start upgrading from Google Hangouts to Google Chat from the first half of 2021, but the specific timing is unknown.

There are many unknowns about the successor tool "Google Chat"

When Google decides to end Hangouts, it will be completely replaced by Google Chat, but Google Chat can be used from smartphones. It's available as a standalone app that you can run, or as a small icon in the corner of Gmail in your browser. While it won't work with Hangouts, Google Chat is coming to Gmail's mobile app.

If you're a Hangouts user, you might try Google Chat here (opens browser version; Chat contacts and history should all load correctly). From this screen, you can see some of the new features in Google Chat, such as emoji reactions to text messages and access to rooms (Slack's equivalent of channels).

While we don't know exactly what the transition from Hangouts to Chat will look like in 2021, some features are already available in the web app. For example, you can turn chat history on or off based on who you're contacting. Previously, Hangouts backed up conversation history to Gmail when history was turned on, but it's unclear if this feature will carry over.

There are other things I don't know yet. How many individual users will be able to use the Google Chat function. Is it possible to use all the functions that can be used in business and premium, or is it limited? Google Chat is already available on Android and iOS, but is currently only available to users with a Google Workspace subscription.

Looks like Google Chat migration will be announced soon

"Beginning in the first half of 2021, all users will be able to start upgrading from Hangouts to Chat," Google said in an official announcement. "To ensure a smooth transition, we will automatically migrate your Hangouts conversation history, including your contacts and saved histories. When you begin the migration process, please follow these steps: We will be sharing more specific guidance on this."

Perhaps traditional Hangouts personal users will be migrated to Google Chat for free without having to pay the monthly fees that business users currently pay. Google promises to seamlessly migrate all your conversation threads and chat contacts, and you can trust me, but just to be safe, use Google Data Export to get Google You may want to export all of your Hangout history data to your computer.