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Google to decommission Hangouts chat platform; Google Chat to be used

Google has announced its classic Hangouts chat platform will be decommissioned. In response, the university will move to Google Chat as the primary chat service. Google Chat offers collaboration and productivity tools such as chat rooms, bots and integration with G Suite apps.

On Monday, July 13, the following changes will occur:

  • Google Chat will replace Google Hangouts in the Gmail web interface.
  • Google Hangouts will be accessible temporarily at hangouts.google.com. The desktop and phone apps will no longer work with a CWRU account.
  • Previous one-on-one conversations will be available on both platforms.
  • Previous group chats will not sync between Google Hangouts and Google Chat. Group conversations on Google Hangouts can be found by searching on Gmail.com or by visiting hangouts.google.com.
  • New group messages and rooms started in Google Chat won’t send messages to users who are only using Google Hangouts, and vice versa.
  • Google Chat allows for interacting with bots in a one-on-one setting and in rooms. This includes CWRU’s bot Spartan Answers (@SpartanAnswers), which can provide information about common questions, locations, shuttle routes and more.

For assistance with any technology product or service at Case Western Reserve University, contact the University Technology Service Desk at help@case.edu or 216.368.HELP (4357) or visit help.case.edu.