Google’s AI-powered messaging app launched in 2016 and discontinued in 2019 was Google Allo. Google announced Allo at Google I/O on May 18, 2016, and released it for Android and iOS on September 21. It used phone numbers as identifiers and supported text, images, files, voice notes, stickers, and group conversations.
Allo’s distinctive feature was Google Assistant, which could answer questions inside a conversation and suggest “Smart Replies” based on incoming messages. It also offered an optional Incognito mode with disappearing messages, private notifications, and end-to-end encryption using the Signal Protocol. Those privacy protections were not enabled by default, which became a major point of criticism.
Google later paused Allo development while concentrating on Rich Communication Services and the Android Messages app. In December 2018, Google announced that Allo would shut down; the service closed in March 2019. It is often confused with Google Duo, a companion video-calling app announced at the same event, or Hangouts, which remained a separate Google communication product.