Every other day we’re finding out more things about Google Babel, the rumoured unified chat service which Google looks to be readying for public access. Rumours have included Google ‘dogfooding’ Babel to its employees, a rumour which seems to be verified by a Gmail page accessible on Google’s own sites.

A snapshot of the Google Babel references in Gmail

In this snapshot, there’s a few things we can glean:

  • Upgrade Chat to Babel! Babel is Google’s new messenger with clients for Android, iOS, Chrome, Google+ and Gmail. Access the same conversation list from Anywhere!

  • A new, conversation-based UI

    Advanced Group conversations

    Send pictures

    Improved notifications across devices

The snippet also references a screenshot of the Babel client working inside Gmail, which we’ve included to the right for your consideration.

How are your thoughts on Babel shaping up? Are you excited for Google I/O or whenever the release of Babel occurs? We’re excited; Google has too many un-integrated chat services at the moment, and a nice integrated solution drawing in Google Talk, Google+ Messenger and Hangouts, with their various mobile apps, would be fantastic.

Will it be out at Google I/O? Will we see it sooner? Later? Who knows! What’s your bet?

Source: GOS Blog.
Via: Android Headlines.

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    Will it have emoji?

    Yes, over 800+ supposedly

    unless it ties in skype, whatsapp, wechat, facebook etc. it will not take off. The market is maturing and people are locked in to their respective platforms (or more like what all their friends are already using). Exhibit 1: Google+ (tumbleweed sounds)

    I think your Exhibit is flawed.

    You might not use G+, but I do quite a lot and follow a lot of people who do and it’s popularity is steadily increasing.

    Exactly, my G+ feed is always bustling. But I don’t treat it like a Facebook replacement, I’ve found great use out of it exploring other aspects of social networking that Facebook is not suited for. Plus better ability to curate my feed. I feel that all this Babel product needs in order to take off is integration with your existing mobile number, and unification with messages. If I could be texting my friend on my phone with SMS, then seemlessly be able to open and continue the chat in gmail, G+, etc. it would absolutely sell me. 1 message feed… Read more »

    Yes there is some truth to this. Google stupidly left this basic feature out for way too long. But Babel will be have one great advantage in that it will work from any device be it pc or tablet or whatever unlike whatsapp which im going to drop like a sack.

    Why whatsapp hasn’t made browser extensions or a web portal is beyond me!

    Really looking forward to this. I’m not bothered if it includes SMS as well, just so long as it combines Gtalk, G+ Messenger and Hangouts.

    Never before has one Google service so badly needed a name change.

    I have a suspicion it ties in with the Babel fish. Facilitates universal communication. Maybe.

    Tower of babel