Offering to buy WhatsApp for $10 billion and then seeing to go to Facebook's plate, Google has long been trying to make a mark on messaging world. When the term of Google Messaging comes, we quickly think about Hangouts, however, neither Google+ nor the Hangouts with SMS integration have seen any success in the consumers. If latest rumors are to be believed, Google is trying to create a WhatsApp killer focusing on no integration with Google and giving out a simple, no-fuss messaging app. 
Google messaging app under wraps:
According to these rumors, Google has sent its product manager for Google+ and Hangouts Nikhyl Singhal to India with an aim to gather data on messaging app ecosystem. With poor access to data connections and an astonishing number of smartphone users, India represents an ideal market to the company. India Times reveal that Google is planning to produce its very own messaging service and that app would being rolling out in India in 2015!
Singhal, who is a product management director for Hangouts, Photos, Google+ core & Platform, is also touring other countries in Asia Pacific to understand local ecosystems better. Unlike other Google products, the messenger will not force users to use their Google login.
To give an edge to the new messaging app over WhatsApp and other such messaging apps already available, Google will offer region-specific features like language support and voice-to-text messaging. The company also intends to offer the app from free instead of charging it after a year like WhatsApp does. It is worthy to be noted here that Google started its Android One project in the country last month. Android One aimed to sell low-cost smartphones with a goal to offer a smartphone to everyone without high costs usually associated with the smart devices. With these sets, Google could add its own apps - including the upcoming rumored Google messaging app - especially tailored to the market.
While it is still a little early to say if Google messaging app will be an actual threat to WhatsApp, it's no doubt that WhatsApp will try to work on or finalize some additional features to keep the app one of the most favorites services being availed on smartphones for past couple years.
- Source: India Times
