Google has finally started rolling out Hangouts 4.0 for Android after it was leaked in June. It brings material design UI, improved message delivery speed and new features such as option to use Hangouts on Android Wear to send a Hangouts message using your smartwatch, outbound caller ID that lets you use your verified number as Caller ID so your friends know who is calling and more. It also brings back custom status messages.
New features in Hangouts 4.0 for Android
- Hangouts is sleeker. Now updated with material design, Hangouts has a new look and feel: items respond to your touch in more intuitive ways and transitions between tasks are more fluid.
- Hangouts is simpler. The new Compose button makes it easier for you to start a new group or conversation. Our streamlined contacts list helps you find the right person quickly. And attachments have been revamped and simplified, so sharing—of emoji, GIFs, your location, even multiple photos at once—is a snap.
- Hangouts is faster. Whether you’re sending a quick message or video chatting with family, you don’t want hold-ups. We’ve been obsessively fixing bugs and speeding up message delivery to make Hangouts faster and more reliable. Bonus: less battery consumption.
Google Hangouts 4.0 for Android is rolling out gradually through Google Play, but you can grab the APK here and side-load it manually, if you can’t wait.