The Google Pixel is already up for pre-orders and if you are among the persons gearing up for this new chapter in the company’s smartphone niche, there more surprises awaiting you.
Apparently, there is a person in Australia who has reportedly had their hands already on the Google Pixel. However, it seems that the carrier responsible for shipping the handset, Telstra, did it by mistake. Nonetheless, the water had already been spilled and this means that details of the Google Pixel phone are now out.
According to the latest reports, it appears that the Google Pixel will come with the fan-favorite Google Hangouts app disabled by default. As a result of this move, the new boys – Google Allo and Duo – will come preinstalled on the two Pixel handsets.
Of course, this was expected once the company introduced Allo and Duo as mobile-focused apps for messaging and video calling, respectively. Google Hangouts, on the other hand, is seen as an app that is well-suited for the business niche or rather, PC world. The fact that Google Hangouts comes disabled by default doesn’t mean you can’t use the app at all on your Google Pixel phone. Like any other Android app, it will be possible to download and install it from the Google Play Store.
The surprising part is that Google Hangouts is not entirely missing on the Google Pixel phones, but it is just disabled. In short, heading to the listing on the Play Store will reveal an “Enable” button which when tapped, it will essentially turn the app on.
While it is possible that Google Hangouts might still stick around for a while, the fact that it has been disabled by default in the latest Google Pixel phones is just a small bite of what’s probably coming. It is a no-brainer that Google would want to see the Allo and Duo apps succeed with the Pixel phones – because this is their niche – hence their inclusion as default apps.
What do you think about this decision to disable Google Hangouts by default on the Google Pixel phones? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.