Google Hangouts Chrome App for Chrome OS and Windows Now Available

Google on Thursday launched the Hangouts Chrome app for Chrome OS and Windows users. The company claims that the new Hangouts app has been developed with "new experience tailor-made for your desktop."

The app is now available for download from Chrome Web Store. The company notes that users who were using the Hangouts Chrome extension on Chrome OS or Windows computer will receive a message to try out the new Hangouts Chrome app over the next few weeks.

The Hangouts Chrome app also brings a slew of features to desktops users such as condensed contact list and chats (into one toggle window); a streamlined design, and all video and voice options from mobile Hangouts app available.

Notably, the new Hangouts app works outside of the browser and integrated notifications appear as chat heads, reminiscent of Facebook's standalone messenger app.

Further, Google notes, "You'll get all your messages as long as you have the app running, and your chats will sync across Hangouts on all your devices." The app also brings Hangouts' video and voice features, with a Hangouts dialler enabling voice calls, and Google Voice support for voice mails and SMS integration.

Announcing the news, David Levin, Software Engineer, Google, in a blog post said, "When you're chatting with your friends and family, you want your conversations easily accessible, not buried in browser windows. Today, we're introducing the Hangouts Chrome App for Chrome OS and Windows -- a simpler, faster way to use Hangouts on your computer alongside whatever else you're doing."

Last month, Google's Hangouts app received free voice calls integration allowing the app to make free voice calls over the Internet.

Google product manager Amit Fulay had revealed that calls were free between Hangouts users and to numbers in the United States or Canada. Hangouts calls would be available in the new version of the app that has been tailored for mobile devices powered by Android.