Google+ pushes video 'Hangouts' to mobile, adds new messaging options

Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) social media platform, Google+, moved from a limited field trial to open beta. And to coincide with the action, Google pushed its Hangouts videoconferencing service to the mobile realm. The company also said it is rebranding its Huddle messaging service.

Google+ users can now share photos with their Circles on-the-go through Messenger.

Hangouts, Google+'s video chatting application, is now available on phones with Android 2.3+ and front-facing cameras. Google said it will add the feature to Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS platform sometime soon. Google also unveiled Hangouts On Air for mobile, which supports video broadcasting in addition to video chatting. 

Separately, Google said it will rebrand its Huddle messaging service as "Messenger." The revamped service now allows Google+ users to share photos with their Circles while mobile, and it allows users to receive mobile notifications via Messenger about new discussions on their Google+ profile.

Also new to Google+: increased SMS support for users in the U.S. and in India. Mobile users can now leverage SMS to post to Google+, receive notifications and respond to group messages.

Google+ first launched in June and was seen as a threat to Facebook. It gained over 10 million users in 16 days, while still in beta. It is now open to users worldwide. Users running Android can download an updated version of the Google+ App in the Android Market.

For more:
- see this Google mobile blog
- see this Google+ blog

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