Thoughts on Google Hangouts

After weeks of rumors on their unified chat service, Google finally unveiled its instant messaging platform: Google Hangouts. Using their existing brandname for in-web multiuser Google+ video conferences, Google has simplified all their instant communication services spread among their sites: Google Talk, Google Voice, Google+ Messenger and Google+ Hangouts.


But let's put it clear: it's not going to take over WhatsApp. 
Google Hangouts is not going to become a widespread tool for instant messaging. Why? This is my opinion why this product is not up to the challenge:


1. It is not multiplatform. Google Hangouts has come out to the public without the basic rule to become a widespread standard: it is not supported by Windows Phone nor other Operating Systems in which WhatsApp is fully operational such as Blackberry. Some may say that this point is not important as Blackberry or Windows Phone may not be , but in many countries they may still be a bunch of them still in the streets: if five of my friends can't use Hangouts, I'm not switching.


2. It's too heavy. And related to the first point, even though it is supported by Android and iOS, it's weight can make it uneasy and uncomfortable to use. Instant messaging is all about it own name: instantaneity. Hangouts may take several seconds to launch in an medium-tier Android device, and it is not even compatible with low-tier phones. Even on an iPhone 4 we will also take our time to star messaging our friends.


3. It lacks the simplicity used by WhatsApp to find your friends. This might be a point which could not be blamed on Google since Hangouts is another service seeded by Google to gather users around Google+ and slowly gunpointing them to their social network.


4. The name has little brand power. I am not a branding specialist, but I feel the name that had been rumored before, Google Babel, would have added a lot more novelty to the experience. Babel could have been an easier term to use when referring to a "short, instant, fast" message.

5. The computer-based client is not a stunning, beautifully designed app, but rather a Chrome-dependent, poorly designed that does not fit in with the operating system. This drawback might change when full integration with the OS for Chrome packaged apps come.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Google will barely scratch a tiny marcker share of the Instant messaging market. Will Google later improve all these specs? If you are to wage war on a prominent opponent, you better come down to battle fully armed with weapons up to your enemy's.