Google Rebrands Hangouts Chat to ‘Google Chat’

Google has removed the Hangouts brand and replaced it with a more simplified ‘Google Chat’ and Google Meet’ naming convention.

Reported by The Verge, Google has updated the G Suite apps with a new title. Strangely enough, Google never made any official announcement of the rebrand. Instead, it was only discovered through a blog post where the company made mention of Google Meet when referencing its security and privacy policies.

Google Hangouts originally spun off from the now-defunct Google+ in 2013. It has since become a core component of the company’s G Suite, offering users web conferencing and chat services.

According to The Verge, a spokesperson told the outlet that there will be “no changes to the consumer (classic) version of Hangouts”. As of now, the old Hangouts brand still remains on the user side. Google may be waiting for rollout new logos and updated graphics for Google Meet and Google Chat before completely pulling the Hangouts name entirely.

Google has long been notorious for discontinuing services and shuffling around online tools for users. Despite Google Hangouts having a seven-year lifecycle, it never truly hit the mark when compared to other video and messaging apps like Skype and Slack. As we’ve seen a drastic rise in video conferencing tools and services, Google may want to ensure their name is upfront and centre when going toe-to-toe with Zoom and Microsoft Teams.