Google Hangouts 4.0 launches for Android: New look, more speed

Suffice it to say, then, that Hangouts 4 hype has been building up tremendous pressure since, and now Google is finally delivering. Something that has been in the works for a while, the new update offers a new more Material Design look to the app. Not only that, but the Hangouts team has made improvements to make the app faster and simpler to use. Hangouts 4.0 will be available on the Play Store starting today, and of course, nearly certainly will roll out in stages.

There’s a new Gmail-style compose button that floats at the bottom of the contact screen, making it easier to quickly start a new message.

Google has also added some changes to the Hangouts Dialer. That means it should now be easier to share emojis, GIFs, your location, and even multiple photos at once.

Google’s post lets us in on some exciting things to expect with this release, notably group MMS messaging using Google Voice and the revival of status messages, which were brought to the web and Chrome app last year (and were slated to come to Android in “a future release”). We’ve been obsessively fixing bugs and speeding up message delivery to make Hangouts faster and more reliable. Android Wear support is bolstered, so you can begin a Hangouts message via voice.

On top of the redesign, Google claims that Hangouts 4.0 has noticeable improvements to performance, reliability, and battery consumption. This is especially useful for those that are using Project Fi and/or Google Voice.

Google says Hangouts 4.0 is also faster and uses less power than its predecessor, which helps give you better battery life.

And if you’re not around but want friends to know what’s on your mind? Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take days, download and install it just like any other APK.