Hacker News Reader

There is a huge misunderstanding here in the comments. From my understanding, this change just means that hangouts can no longer be used as an app that sends and receives SMS from the carrier. They used to think it is a good idea to have everything in one app, but now they figured it's better to have two apps. It doesn't mean that they're disintegrating SMS sending (through Google) functionality from Hangouts.

View on HN

There are two contradicting ideas in your reply.

>hangouts can no longer be used as an app that sends and receives SMS from the carrier.

and

>It doesn't mean that they're disintegrating SMS sending (through Google) functionality from Hangouts.

SMS is sending and receiving messages from the carrier.

Hangouts doesn't allow SMS = SMS functionality removed.

Nope, Hangouts also has the ability to send SMSs through Google, even from your computer. AIM and Yahoo Messenger also used to let you do this from your computer. It doesn't use your phone number. I think this is the distinction jimmies is trying to make.

So you are the stickler who does understand all that but won't agree to understand something if they don't use a certain term you want.

What everyone is talking about is 'text messaging' or 'texting'. Generally people refer 'text messaging' as 'SMS'. And that is what everyone is talking about.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com