Google Talk. Google+. Google Voice. Google Hangouts. Google+ Messenger. Gmail Chat. Gmail Calling.
What do all these services have in common? Other than the Google name, and the fact that you can chat on them, not a lot!
While each communication system bearing Google’s name (with the exception of Google Buzz and Wave – we don’t talk about those…) have been roaring successes and are utilized heavily by users worldwide, there is an underlying problem – they don’t play well with each other.
Now, imagine a world where each of these systems exist in one useful, convenient, cross platform application set allowing you to communicate with all your Googly buddies through a single interface. According to Geek.com, it’s coming – and it’s going to be called Babble.
Babble – Unified Messaging
Being built from the ground up and rumored to utilize the XMPP protocol, Google Babble is rumoured to be as future-proof, scalable and versatile as possible to accommodate the many spaced they currently inhabit with annoyingly disparate applications.
Information from “multiple sources” suggests that Babble will be available on mobile devices and computers – notably, inclusive of Chrome OS, which we’ve seen previously ominously teased.
While it’s great that this is happening, it also sounds like Google might seek to impose limitations the way you use it, as evidenced by some recent tweaks to their XMPP server interoperability changes. This might be similar to the way Apple “tells you” how to use some of their products, or it might be a little tamer.
Regardless of how the new concepts are presented to users, it appears that Google are working hard on adding further services to their offering, and turning your Google account into your online identity, the recent information about Google Keep, and now Babble seems to support this.
If the rumors and speculation about Google Babble are accurate, could it have the potential to go nose to nose with Apple’s iMessage service? If it’s cross platform, there’s certainly the potential it could do so.
With no official announcement or release date, we can only hope that Babble might be one of the surprises Google have for us at I/O in May.
Does the concept of Google unifying communications excite you? Let us know in the comments below.
This COULD be really good. Let’s hope they get this right.
They do really need to combine all the services because it’s just painful and embarrassing at the moment.
It’s going to be a lot less exciting if they don’t use Babble to replace the Stock SMS/MMS app. Also that name is enough to destroy all possible excitement!
Agreed, we definitely need something like iMessage natively built in.
This might excite me if Google Voice were available in Australia.