Google has recently launched Allo, a smart instant messenger app that also works with Google Assistant. Will this finally convince smartphone users to switch to Google fort heir instant messaging?
Just like Reinier, I also think that Google is very late to try to conquer the IM Market. I partially agree with Reinier. I have had years to work with Whatsapp. All my friends use the app. Why would I switch now and go trough the trouble of trying to convince at least my inner circle with whom I text a lot, to switch to an other IM app? On the flip side I really think that the Google Assistant is a really nice unique selling point of the app. If I look at other AI chatbots like Siri, I remember the excitement about the chatbot and how functional it actually was. However AI chatbots still have a long way to go if we want them to function as personal assistants.
Google Assistant works better than other AI chatbots because it can analyse your mail agenda and messages. Trough this way it can see things in its context and give better response that hold more significance tot he situation. This would mean a major improvement.
I also agree with Reinier on the fact that in the far east people do much more in IM apps that in the western world. For example in China people can order a cab, date and order food trough IM app WeChat. I think eventually this will also be a need in the western world. This means that the party that adapt first and provides for these needs would have a major advantage. Since Google is already heavily intertwined with android phones it’s not a completely new entity to users, which is another reason why I genuinely think that Allo may have a fighting chance even though the market already seems full.
All in all, time will tell how Google’s IM app Allo is going to perform. Because the Google Assistant isn’t near perfect yet, and people have already committed to various IM apps, I think it will be difficult. However, if the company manages to really disrupt the industry simply because the Google Assistant works so well with it. It still has a fighting chance.
I feel that Allo is still somewhat in pre-launch. Google is still experimenting with it, as they tend to do.
The key aspects for messagers is of course network effects again. I guess they might make use of enveloping at some point of time and integrate Allo into Chrome, Gmail or other Google products.
However it’s also interesting to see that Facebook removed its Messenger from the main Facebook App.
Google’s assistant has other knowledge about customers than say Amazon Echo or Apple Siri. This could be a competitive advantage:
For example
Google knows about customer’s search preferences, video (YouTube) and emails (Gmail).
Apple knows about App purchases, Email (Apps integrated into iOS or Mac).
Amazon knows about customer’s searches for products, however not so much about Emails or other aspects.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Julian. What I think is particularly interesting about Allo is that in contrast to Apple’s platform iMessage, Allo is available on both iOS and Android. Android users could obviously benefit significantly from the deep integration with Android through Google Assistant, making Allo more powerful and valuable than any other apps on Android. What is really interesting though is that when this app draws in a significant user base on Android, it also becomes more attractive for iOS users to install the app. However, as Allo will be less powerful than on Android due to Google Assistant, iOS users will be motivated to buy Android phones to enjoy the same functionalities. So, as long as Apple does not make iMessage available on Android, Apple could lose a lot of customers.