Google Allo will shut down in March 2019

Google has announced that it will be shutting down its smart-messaging service Allo which it launched just over two years ago.

The decision comes after the company “paused investment in Allo” earlier this year, and brought its features to Messages — Google’s SMS-based messaging service for Android.

“Given Messages’ continued momentum, we’ve decided to stop supporting Allo to focus on Messages,” the company explained in the announcement.

Features such as desktop support, GIFs and Smart Reply have already moved from Allo to Messages.

“We’ve learned a lot from Allo, particularly what’s possible when you incorporate machine learning features, like the Google Assistant, into messaging,” Google also noted.

Allo will officially stop running in March 2019.

In the meantime, users are being encouraged to export their conversations and save their media before the app shuts down.

March 2019 is significant for another Google app. Inbox, the company’s smart email app, will also cease to function.

Feature image: Google