If you use Google Workspace, the classic Hangouts messaging service will be phased out next month as part of the transition to Google Chat. Google has announced that starting March 22nd, Google Chat will be the default chat application, which means that users will be redirected to Chat when they try to access Hangouts in Gmail on the web or use the old Hangouts mobile apps.
The transition from Google Hangouts to Google Chat is the latest stage in Google’s ever-evolving communications strategy, which becomes increasingly perplexing the more you learn about it. This migration began in June 2020 and is focused on the messaging service that is linked with Gmail. Google Chat is not to be confused with GChat, the unofficial name for Google Talk, which was discontinued in 2017 and replaced with Hangouts.
For the time being, only Workspace users, as well as older G Suite Basic and Business subscribers, are affected by this change. It affects people who use Google’s services as part of a business or organisation, in other words.
