Google its Hangouts app for iOS, which will look a lot like other messaging apps that most users are familiar with.
The new iOS app includes tabs at the bottom of the screen with categories like Hangouts, Favorites, and Contacts, similar to other messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
The new version of Hangouts also includes other features found in similar messaging apps, such as the ability to send videos, stickers, or your location in a conversation. Previously, users were only able to send photos. (Hangouts has always supported video calling, however.)
The new app is optimized for iPad and features two panels, meaning you can chat on one side of the screen while viewing your contacts or existing Hangouts on the other. The old version of Hangouts for iPad only had one screen and no tabs at the bottom.
Most of these changes, including the location feature, were already available to Android, though the look and feel of the two apps is definitely different.
Users can download the new iOS app in the App Store.
