As previously rumored Google Hangouts has finally received its 5.0 update. As it the way with Google updates the rollout is gradual so don’t be surprised if it’s not waiting for you. Not being one to wait we have taken steps to acquire the update and, unfortunately, there isn’t much to report.
Despite the jump to a 5.0 version number, it seems the update is mainly bug fixes and extending existing functionality to Google-Fi – Google’s USA only MVNO offering – customers. If sending .gifs via Hangouts is something you do then you’ll be glad to see that .gifs are working again after being broken in a previous update.
We will keep trying out the new version and see what other bugs and issues have been fixed in addition to hunting for anything else that may have been included. If you a user of Hangouts you should expect to see the rollout over the next few weeks, if you’re the impatient type, you know what to do.
Do you use Hangouts as your daily messaging client? Let us know what you want to see included, fix or changed.
Being able to have a signature would be great
I lol’d at “trollout”.
Great way to refer to any updates Google puts out.
I still don’t get how Apple to release their updates worldwide simultaneously yet Google can’t do the same with its Nexus updates which would be a much smaller user base. Sigh.
Probably in case there are problems with the update. Remember when iPhones got a software update recently and it rendered them useless as an actual phone?
Sure, but is there anyone here who wouldn’t take their chances and switch to an Apple-style roll-out system right now if they could? I’ll put my hand up.
That said, I just moved from a Nexus 5 to a Galaxy S6 so I’ve just put myself at Samsung’s mercy – I guarantee a few months from now the Nexus roll-out system is gonna be looking pretty good.
I had read that this update brings a lot of performance enhances, but I’m not seeing any. Seems to perform the same as it did before. The app takes a while to load, threads take a while to load, messages aren’t any faster or anything. Only thing I’ve noticed is that it has a splash screen to try and hide the lag now. I still don’t think it’s a good app, and still for whatever reason can’t emulate Apple’s iMessage (which is what people would want). With all of Google’s engineers and minds, I don’t get why they can’t automate… Read more »
For the desktop version I wish they would disable links in the message list. If the last message you received from someone was a link and you want to open their chat window it will also open the link they sent you (unless you carefully aim your click to miss it).
Did you send feedback?
Is there meant to be a troll lurking in the title (“Hangouts 5.0 starts its trollout”)?
I was wondering the same thing!
Referring to Googles typically slow rollout – it’s a sad joke but I got one lol 🙂