Google is currently in the process of reworking its Allo for Web app in order to have it operate without relying on a smartphone connection, the company’s Principal Engineer Justin Uberti revealed earlier this month. The feat requires Allo’s engineering team to transition the app’s backend framework to a new setup, according to the developer who’s also credited with creating Google’s video calling app Duo. Mr. Uberti didn’t clarify how long has Google been migrating the service, nor did he provide a specific timeframe for the release of the reworked version of Allo.
Ever since launching last summer, Allo for Web worked much like the WhatsApp’s browser client, providing users with the ability to access their chats via desktops but only if their smartphones are simultaneously communicating with the Internet. The process of getting Allo for Web to work also requires one to scan a QR code with a smartphone and the app is only operational so long as the user’s mobile version of Allo is. The Alphabet-owned company may not introduce additional signup procedures even after Allo for Web is reworked to support standalone functionality. The app itself remains one of the firm’s many messaging offerings whose main selling point is its native support for the Google Assistant which can be summoned during chats in order to answer questions.
Originally introduced in September of 2016, Allo has been receiving regular updates to this date, with Google promoting the service as its new flagship instant messaging solution for personal use. The app has so far been downloaded at least ten million times on a global level, according to its Google Play Store listing. The last major addition to Allo rolled out six weeks ago in the form of support for automatic transcripts, allowing the app to transcribe one’s voice messages without playing them out loud. Google may share more details on its plans for the future of Allo at its annual I/O developer conference scheduled to start on May 8.