Google to open fire at WhatsApp, other messaging giants

Is Google about to pick a fight with wireless carriers?

WhatsApp, Kik and Line have made their mark on mobile app stores around the world by offering a more robust chat ecosystem than Apple or Google have managed to create on their own. Now that Google has fully transitioned from Google Chat to Hangouts on the desktop, the company has an opportunity to bring the improved software to its mobile platform in a much more meaningful way. Android Police received alleged screenshots of Android 4.4 KitKat which show settings that will enable SMS and MMS with Hangouts. Although there is no hard evidence indicating that the Messaging app will be done away with altogether, combining the popular Hangouts chat service with existing mobile messaging services would be a smart way to compete with third-party apps. Check out the purported leaked screenshots below.


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This article was originally published on BGR.com

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