Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#1

Post by davidw » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:01 PM UTC

Several years ago, from within Gmail, I could:

* Make a phone call

* Send an SMS

* Send a Google chat

* Start a video call with my parents

Now, all of this has been split up, and to start a video call, I have to start a video and send an email inviting someone. SMS has been split up into a separate web app that won't work without my phone being present.

How did it come to pass that they took an easy, integrated system and mangled it so badly? I mean, it wasn't perfect, but it mostly just worked, and was easy to use.

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#2

Post by matv » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:10 PM UTC

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/08/a-decade-and-a-half-...

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#3

Post by noah670 » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:12 PM UTC

The real question is what newer products have managed to stick around at Google?

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#4

Post by netsec_burn » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:18 PM UTC

I believe the reason is that there are incentives internally to create new products rather than maintaining existing ones.

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#5

Post by princevegeta89 » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:19 PM UTC

The experience to setup and use was so confusing

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#6

Post by mdorazio » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:20 PM UTC

Having talked about similar questions with friends who work/worked at Google, you need to first ask "How do people get promoted at Google?" The answer to that (by launching new things that get abandoned soon after rather than improving/fixing existing things) answers your question and many others like it.

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#7

Post by Gualdrapo » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:22 PM UTC

I can't understand why they ditched XMPP for corporative Google accounts. Our uni uses Google services but for their stupid chat I have to keep a Hangouts tab opened because most XMPP clients won't work with it.

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#8

Post by imbnwa » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:24 PM UTC

noah670 wrote: post #3

The real question is what newer products have managed to stick around at Google?

It all went downhill once they shuttered Google Reader

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#9

Post by bitcuration » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:25 PM UTC

noah670 wrote: post #3

The real question is what newer products have managed to stick around at Google?

Gmail has. Knock on the wood.

Re: Ask HN: How did Google botch messaging/video/hangouts so badly?

#10

Post by bitcuration » Sun, Sep 19, 2021, 4:26 PM UTC

The truth is, other than search engine advertising, google doesn't know how to make money.