Google Launches Allo - Its New Messaging App Featuring AI

Although Google has already a number of messaging apps to its credit - six to be exact - its latest launch Allo is said to offer something new.

In its basics, Allo is similar to the popular WhatsApp which uses the phone number for primary identification and finds other friends on the app.  But its standout feature is Assistant Allo, what Google calls a preview edition of the Google Assistant. This is Google's Artificial Intelligence (AI) product that is likely to be a part of its other upcoming products such as Google Home, Android Wear ushering in the use of AI into daily life.

The Assistant can be brought up individually or as a part of group conversation by typing in @google. It can be used to run information searches, look up flight details, locate nearby restaurants, deliver custom alerts and much more, even playing games!

Allo has introduced several new features for creative expression of feelings. One of them is the wide range of emojis and stickers, created exclusively for Allo, that allows users to add personality to chats. Another feature that drew a lot of attention at its unveiling is the app's ability to make text smaller or larger, intending to convey a 'whisper' or a 'shout'.

One of the more interesting introductions is Smart Reply which allows faster responses as it offers pre-set quick responses to questions, similar to the Gmail's Inbox app. The app learns with use and starts offering responses keeping in user's preferred style.

Users can also chat in Incognito mode. Mimicking the privacy mode offered in web browsers, in this mode, messages have end-to-end encryption with additional privacy features like message expiration and discreet notifications. Other regular Google features of sending photos, sharing location and dictating text  are also included.

Allo has been released for both Android and iOS operating systems and will available worldwide over the next few days