Report : Google Develops New Messaging App

(RTTNews) - Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL, GOOG), is building a new mobile-messaging service that taps its artificial intelligence know-how and so-called chatbot technology to try to catch up with rivals including Facebook Inc. (FB), the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter.

For its new service, Google, plans to integrate chatbots, software programs that answer questions inside a messaging app. Users will be able to text friends or a chatbot, which will scour the Web and other sources for information to answer a question. It is unclear when Google will launch the service, or what it will be called, the report said.

Google's two messaging services—Hangouts and Messenger—trail far behind Facebook's WhatsApp and Messenger and Tencent Holdings Ltd.'s WeChat, the most popular messaging app in China. Some services are adding other capabilities—WeChat, for instance, lets users shop, pay bills and book appointments.