Oh, yes... Hangouts is the undisputed champion of the chat world. It's about to get even better as we start getting details about the next version(s). Above, you can see Hangouts on the web (left) has caught up to the Android app (right). This shows Google is putting in the time to make sure their number one chat app stays on top. For the full skinny on this fresh set of chat controls and how to make sure your phone number is verified, keep reading!
For those wanting the details right away (impatient much?), here's the official announcement post:
At first glance, this might seem like a sparse update. On the contrary, there's a few key things to take away from this. The first obvious point is Google's still getting the spit shine to prepare for Hangouts 4.x for Android. As you'll remember, iOS has already received version 4.1 and Android will be coming "soon."
The second big takeaway from this seemingly innocent screenshot is Google's going through great lengths to get Hangouts simple for non-tech users. This might seem like a no-brainer, but this has to be a priority from now on. The allure of Apple apps is "they just work." Google can easily match that with their clean coding, but I'm sure they're going to go above and beyond for Hangouts.
In the post, Jordanna also mentions this is all possible as long as you have a verified phone number. Be sure to follow these instructions so that you're ready for the roll out.
The revised invitation settings are new for the web, but have been a part of the Android app for a little while now. It's nice to see some parity across devices.
What new feature would you like to see pushing Hangouts as the killer chat app?