After updating the iOS version to 4.0, Google has finally brought the Material Design Hangouts update to Android today, making it “faster, simpler, and easier on the eyes”.
Before I list everything new in the update, it’s worth mentioning that the Hangouts team has managed to make the app more efficient in terms of power consumption, thus allowing for longer battery life. Now here’s a convenient list of all the new improvements Google has provided:
- Hangouts is sleeker. Now updated with material design, Hangouts has a new look and feel: items respond to your touch in more intuitive ways and transitions between tasks are more fluid.
- Hangouts is simpler. The new Compose button makes it easier for you to start a new group or conversation. Our streamlined contacts list helps you find the right person quickly. And attachments have been revamped and simplified, so sharing—of emoji, GIFs, your location, even multiple photos at once—is a snap.
- Hangouts is faster. Whether you’re sending a quick message or video chatting with family, you don’t want hold-ups. We’ve been obsessively fixing bugs and speeding up message delivery to make Hangouts faster and more reliable.
Unfortunately, quick reply is still no where to be seen so hopefully that comes next.
At the time of writing this article, the update has yet to go live on the Play Store so thanks to AndroidPolice’s APKMirror, you can now give the app a try yourself.