Allo and Duo (2016)
Google once again bunglingly hit reset on its messaging services in 2016 when it launched Allo and Duo. Allo was designed to be a new consumer texting application, while Duo was meant to handle video conferencing and was pitched as a “companion” app to Allo. Meanwhile, Google Hangouts was in the process of being pivoted into an enterprise app with similar functionality. Allo, which was meant to compete with the newly Meta-acquisitioned WhatsApp, began to wither almost immediately—shutting down less than two and a half years later due to lack of downloads. Critics noted that the functionality of the app was frustrating. Meanwhile, Duo soldiered on for several years, finally losing its essence and getting merged into Google Meet earlier this year.
