Hangouts and its semi-stealth SMS integration

[s44]

Hm -- I got a popup to do this when I launched the app again this morning.

I guess if you can use phone # as an ID instead of G+, it's a step... but not quite there. Also, it's convoluted.

Also, you can apparently set your account to forward Hangouts messages as texts when you're not active on Hangouts.

 

[Eruditass]

We want SMS in hangouts, not hangouts to SMS.

In due time, maybe, but not what you're seeing.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Google mentioned SMS integration is in their plans.

I also noticed that when I "verified my account" in Hangout, it asked to send me an SMS which never showed up in Messages because Hangout intercepted it.


Also:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DoriStorbeck/posts/XNRAQThToay

Dori Storbeck
Yesterday 6:49 PM
+Jovan Givens glad to hear it. And yes, SMS integration is coming soon - it is one of our most requested features!

 

[s44]

It does have the SMS permission. Future use? Just for this sort of interception? Who knows really.

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

It uses SMS to verify your number so that's kinda unrelated.

There are comments from Google that SMS is coming though. It really needs it.

 

[wirednuts]

i wish google voice supported short code sms and full mms

 

[SunnyD]

i wish google voice supported short code sms and full mms

It'll never* happen because short codes cost money.

As far as MMS, Google Voice does support MMS. At least receiving MMS.

 

[podspi]

It'll never* happen because short codes cost money.

As far as MMS, Google Voice does support MMS. At least receiving MMS.

It does? How? Off to experiment...

 

[s44]

Only if one of the two parties is on Sprint.

 

[basslover1]

It wouldn't be a Google product if they released it without it missing some features.

 

[dlock13]

It wouldn't be a Google product if they released it without it missing some features.

Very true. Everything Google releases is a constant beta product. I'm 100% OK with that though because usually it's fairly good.

Let's reminisce to Gmail first off. It was in beta for...... 100 years (or seemed like it), but it was an amazing new way of emailing, and it just had plenty of features that no one else had. That worked fantastically, and they kept adding features. They were innovating while everyone else was completely stuck in the past.

Hangouts is different. I understand it will continue to get features, but it needed key features from the get go instead of adding them as they come. I'm a little disappointed that Google didn't build in SMS integration from the start, but I'm accepting the fact that Google is always in beta.

 

[Red Storm]

I was expecting all Google messaging apps to disappear and be replaced by a single all encompassing messaging client. I wanted to say goodbye to Voice and Talk and G+ Messenger and have them all merge into a single app. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

 

[dlock13]

I was expecting all Google messaging apps to disappear and be replaced by a single all encompassing messaging client. I wanted to say goodbye to Voice and Talk and G+ Messenger and have them all merge into a single app. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

Apparently, it's going to though. G+ Messenger is going the way of the dodo soon, and then Voice, well, I am not too sure about that. I automatically thought it was incorporated in there, but I guess not.

 

[Red Storm]

I know they'll eventually get it working, but I was expecting it out of the gate yesterday.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Huh, it seems if the portrait is faded then they're offline and if it's normal then they're online.

 

[WelshBloke]

We want SMS in hangouts, not hangouts to SMS.

In due time, maybe, but not what you're seeing.

I very much don't want SMS integration (or I want to be able to turn it off). It costs me to send SMSs whereas data is free.

 

[WelshBloke]

I was expecting all Google messaging apps to disappear and be replaced by a single all encompassing messaging client. I wanted to say goodbye to Voice and Talk and G+ Messenger and have them all merge into a single app. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

Yeah they really messed up there. They need a messenger app that works on as many OSs as possible and offers seamless text, audio and video chat.

And they need to make it ONE app and only one app.

 

[SunnyD]

It does? How? Off to experiment...

I haven't determined if there's a way to SEND MMS via Google Voice, but since I don't use it often if at all, I don't really care.

 

[Red Storm]

I very much don't want SMS integration (or I want to be able to turn it off). It costs me to send SMSs whereas data is free.

The only SMS that would be integrated is Google Voice, which uses data to send messages.

Huh, it seems if the portrait is faded then they're offline and if it's normal then they're online.

I did not notice that before, mainly because 90% of my contacts don't have pictures so it's just a gray figure.

I still need a sorting option for the contact list. The recent bar at the top is way too bloated/big and ugly. Just sort the list in order of most contacted and use a green light to signify on and off.

 

[WelshBloke]

The only SMS that would be integrated is Google Voice, which uses data to send messages.

I'm in the UK, we don't have full Google voice (at least I don't think so anyway).

How does SMS through google voice end up being free? Does Google eat the cost of sending the SMS? That sounds unlikely.

 

[Red Storm]

I'm in the UK, we don't have full Google voice (at least I don't think so anyway).

How does SMS through google voice end up being free? Does Google eat the cost of sending the SMS? That sounds unlikely.

It uses data to send messages, not SMS, so it's "free" in the same way that you said data is "free."

For a long while I was using Google Voice on Verizon because I did not have unlimited SMS through Verizon, so by using Google Voice all my texts were going through my unlimited data and not counting towards my text plan cap.

 

[WelshBloke]

It uses data to send messages, not SMS, so it's "free" in the same way that you said data is "free."

For a long while I was using Google Voice on Verizon because I did not have unlimited SMS through Verizon, so by using Google Voice all my texts were going through my unlimited data and not counting towards my text plan cap.

Thats not really an SMS though, do people on dumb phones receive them?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I'm in the UK, we don't have full Google voice (at least I don't think so anyway).

How does SMS through google voice end up being free? Does Google eat the cost of sending the SMS? That sounds unlikely.

I think the integration people are talking about is iMessage-like. With Google Voice it gets even more complicated. But yes, Google eats the cost. There probably is a minimal cost anyway to them, and they have all your SMS, so that's a cost they're willing to eat. Isn't it like most other services? Collect info in trade for service.

Anyway, the level of integration I think people were referring to was:
- SMS between contacts if all they have is phone number
- Hangout message (data based) if they have Hangout
- So far this is like how iMessage is, but with Google Voice, one alternative you could have is that instead of SMS, you would default to Google Voice SMS which is free if the user only has a phone # to contact instead of using your phone # SMS.

I think this would be awesome. One step above iMessage due to the flexibility of Google Voice. So basically in terms of priority, it would be:

- Hangout if possible
- If not, then Google Voice. (optional if you use GV + standard phone #)
- Fall back to SMS/MMS via phone # if required. (optional due to some ppl porting to GV entirely)

Thats not really an SMS though, do people on dumb phones receive them?

It is an SMS. I think he's mistaken. The SMS sent through Google Voice is a standard SMS. YOU use data to log in and to send it because its a web/data-based interface. It takes your text, converts it to an SMS, and so the recipient sees it as a SMS. They never know its a GV SMS.

 

[Red Storm]

It is an SMS. I think he's mistaken. The SMS sent through Google Voice is a standard SMS. YOU use data to log in and to send it because its a web/data-based interface. It takes your text, converts it to an SMS, and so the recipient sees it as a SMS. They never know its a GV SMS.

And most importantly, it goes through your data and not your carrier's SMS plan.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I haven't determined if there's a way to SEND MMS via Google Voice, but since I don't use it often if at all, I don't really care.

Maybe that's ok for receiving pictures, but a lot of people use Group MMS for group chats. Like today I'm hanging out with a group of 4 to watch the Warriors. Luckily we all have Whatsapp, but a previous group for previous series did not all have the same platform, so we created a group mms for coordination. That's not going to work with GV.