Google modifies ‘Messenger’ app on Play Store

Soon, Android users won’t be able to find Messenger, Google’s text messaging app on the Play Store. That’s because the search giant has now changed the name of the app.

Spotted first by Android Police website, Google has renamed Messenger to something a bit more distinctive – Android Messages.

So now, if you try to search for ‘Messenger’ on Google Play Store, chances are quite high that you’ll end up with Facebook Messenger as the first result. Google has not revealed the exact reason why it changed the name of the app, but it’s claimed that the move could be aimed to remove the confusion between Google’s SMS app and Facebook’s Messenger app..

The changed name is included as part of the app’s v2.0.770 update.

“A new name! Messenger is now Android Messages, the messaging app built for Android,” reads the change log. The update also fixes several bugs and brings simpler sign-up for enhanced features on supported carriers. After the update, the app will show up as ‘Messages’ in Android smartphones instead of ‘Messenger’.

Google’s Messenger app is the company’s default messaging app. It comes preinstalled on several Android smartphones, along with the latest Pixel and Pixel XL.

Google has several other messaging-related applications as well. Besides Android Messages, these include Hangouts, Duo and Allo.

The company is reportedly planning to launch a web client of its Google Allo app soon. Google’s vice president of communication products, Nick Fox tweeted an image showing how the interface will look like on PCs.

“Still in early development, but coming to a desktop near you… #GoogleAllo #SneakPeek,” read the tweet. From the glimpse given by Fox, the app’s web client looks similar to that of Slack. It might also prove to be a Skype competitor.

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