Google Hangouts New Update 5.1: App Gets A Face-Lift; Upgrade On Level Playing Field With Rivals Skype, WhatsApp

Google Hangouts just got a new update. Google has been creating updates of the Google chat app for some time. So far, Google has been mediocre in creating a chat and instant message app that stand out from the rest. Now, Google has decided to up the anti and catch up to rivals Microsoft's Skype and Facebook's recently acquired WhatsApp.

News of the revamped IM app was released on Google+ by Eudardo Fernandez, one of Google's software engineers.

Google has had to be literally on its "heels" to churn out updates for Google Hangouts because there are so many of them. And it has been some time since Google has had a chance to address its supremacy in instant messaging and talk applications, Tech News Today said.   

An update to Google Hangouts was available in mid-October and was dubbed Google Hangouts 5.0. The update had a number of bug fixes. The 5.1 version of Google Hangout app has bug fixes and tweaks that enhance performance of the 'ubiquitous Hangouts,' which is now synonymous with Google's email, gmail.

The Google Hangouts new update is for people who have a Gmail or Google account and would like to use its instant messaging or talk/video features. It saves disk space by avoiding another IM app like Skype, which can take a good chunk of data space.

NDTV reported that the latest update for Hangouts is a "new calling experience for users."