Why it matters to you
Google’s new Assistant-powered chat service is becoming more powerful all the time with new features and is definitely worth a look.
Allo may be struggling to gain traction in the already crowded arena of messaging services, but that is not stopping Google from keeping it current with new features. Version 9.0 for Android just hit the Play Store this week and although it doesn’t seem to immediately add much to the experience, 9to5 Google dismantled the APK and found evidence of some interesting features that appear to be waiting in the wings for a server-side update.
First and foremost are chat backups. A pop-up message that has been uncovered in the code alludes to restoring saved conversations and further investigation reveals messages relating to images and videos — indicating Allo will not only back up text but media as well.
What is more, you can apparently choose to back up your chats to either Google Drive or external storage. If you choose the former, there is the typical option to only save to Drive when on Wi-Fi to avoid data charges. You will even be able to set the frequency of backups.
9to5 Google also found a “Start group Incognito chat” string, which refers to Allo’s end-to-end encrypted, private conversation channel that doesn’t involve Google Assistant.
In terms of more fun features, there is Quick Selfie, which made the rumor rounds in March and reappears under the surface here in version 9.0. The feature acts as a small camera button to the right of the text entry field that, when tapped, opens a circular window linked to the front-facing camera.
Finally, what update would be complete without some new stickers? In this case, they are actually stickers generated from selfies, created in your likeness. A reference to the feature was present back in the code for Allo 5.0, then disappeared, and has now returned.
Seeing all these features pop up in code before actually debuting is nothing new for Allo or Google’s apps, as the company typically activates them independently of updates. Doing this allows Google to slowly roll out changes and tweak things on the fly. There is no timetable for release and as history has shown, features referenced in one version may not release in full until many updates down the line.