Google Hangouts for Android now merges SMS and Hangouts conversations
Google Hangouts for Android has an update available right now in the Play Store that merges SMS and Hangouts conversations into a single, unified view. Going forward, your various conversations with the same recipient are now merged into single conversations, with easy controls that allow you to switch between SMS and Hangouts while sending. Additionally, the app now highlights messages sent through Hangouts, so it’s easy to tell them apart from SMS. Additionally, if you really prefer separate views, the app allows users to unmerge the combined conversations.
Additionally, many users will be happy to find a new homescreen widget – something that the stock messaging app in Android long offered, which many Hangouts users missed in the new app.
Finally, there are now two sections in your contacts list: “People you Hangout With” and “Phone Contacts.” Even though Google unfortunately ended a sentence with a preposition, this new view makes it easier to quickly jump to your contacts with whom you only use SMS. Of course, Google says that there are also miscellaneous performance improvements, including better quality video calls and improved reliability with SMS and MMS.
You can grab the update in Google Play.
Download: Google Play
