Google Allo Updated to 2.0 With Split-Screen and Quick Reply Support

Google Allo did not quite have the start that Google had hoped for the app. In the saturated market of Instant Messaging platforms, Allo has offered very little to the average consumer that could keep the user, and his contact circles, hooked. Decouple the Assistant from Allo, and you're left with an IM app bereft of key messaging features found on other popular platforms such as Whatsapp.

Nevertheless, Google still has hope for Allo. The company has just pushed a new update to Allo which bumps up its version by a full number. Allo's Play Store listing does not yet display the change-log as the app is still rolling out, but the Google Nexus Twitter account has announced that the latest update brings Nougat split-screen support and quick-reply from notifications. However, a couple of community members have posted an unofficial change-log Allo 2.0's APKMirror page, which we've reproduced below.

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What's new in Allo 2.0?

Allo 2.0 adds the following changes, in addition to presumed bug fixes and performance enhancements:

• Support for toggling chats to monochrome
• Direct Voice Recognition in Assistant
• Splash Screen
• Quick Reply Support
• Split-screen Support
• GIF Support in keyboard for 7.1+
• App Shortcuts for 7.1+
• Direct share

While the update might not seem significant enough for a full version number jump, the update does add a few useful features to the app. The addition of quick reply and split-screen support was necessary to take proper advantage of Android 7.0 Nougat's feature set. With the Pixel devices shipping with Allo pre-installed, it was important for Google to provide the same set of features and experiences that we've grown accustomed to from other apps on Nougat. The splash screen might seem like a trivial addition, but it does give users on older devices with longer loading times something pleasant to look at instead of just a blank screen while the app is loading.

You can download Allo 2.0 from the Google Play Store, however, the new update may take some time to roll out to all users. Alternatively, you can also download the update from APKMirror.

Have you tried out the new update? Let us know in the comments below!

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Source: Twitter: Google Nexus

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