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Will Google?s new social sharing app cut through the competition?

Google?s introduction of a new social sharing application, Spaces, underscores consumer demand for group conversation hubs on mobile platforms while highlighting the proliferation of these services ? a hurdle that even a behemoth such as Google may struggle to overcome.

The Spaces app enables users to congregate and share content ? such as images, articles and videos ? pertaining to any topic. The conversational-centric focus of the app is meant to differentiate from Google?s other communication channels by allowing consumers to share materials without leaving Spaces, since it already has Chrome, YouTube and search capabilities built into its platform.

?[Google] might be trying a different approach than peer-to-peer,? said Mark Beccue, principal at Mark Beccue Consulting, Inc. ?To me, Spaces looks a lot more like Slack ? a group chat platform with archival and search capabilities that can integrate with other apps.

?Perhaps it sees group chat as a better approach to building a significant communications platform.?

A one-stop shop for communicating
Google?s Spaces app aims to leverage features seen in other mobile messaging apps, such as WeChat and WhatsApp, as well as Slack and Pinterest. Spaces is tapping into the increasingly popular market of group chat platforms and banking on the factors of easy shareability and convenience to ensure it stays afloat among the stiff competition.

Although Google does already offer a slew of mobile-optimized communication channels, such as Hangouts, the new app seeks to eliminate the previously necessary burdens of copying and pasting links from different browsers and having content get occasionally buried among other conversations.

Spaces? users can share articles, videos and other interesting finds with their friends, family and coworkers without leaving the app, thanks to its built-in Chrome, search and YouTube functions.

The app contains a conversational view, which lets users instantly discover what their friends have added to the chat. If an individual wants to locate a piece of information that was shared earlier, he or she can tap the search option to pull it up within seconds.

Consumers can create a space for any subject, and can invite friends to join via email, SMS or social media.

Spaces is currently available for Gmail account holders? Android and iOS devices, as well as mobile and desktop browsers. Individuals can download the Spaces app or visit spaces.google.com to take advantage of the new platform.

Stacking up against competitors
Spaces may seem similar to Google Hangouts, which also lets consumers add multiple people to an open conversation, but is significantly less text-based. Spaces is more beneficial for groups of friends or coworkers that prefer communicating via photos, videos and even GIFs, hence the Pinterest comparisons.

However, the sheer proliferation of group chat options in the present market makes Spaces a big gamble for Google. Apps such as WeChat and WhatsApp already have hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

?I am skeptical of the market need for group chat as [Google] describes it,? Mr. Beccue said. ?I see group chat as more valuable as a business tool.?

Additionally, Google owns so many apps and chat platforms that it runs the risk of seeming unfocused by rolling out yet another. Most recently, it has been steadily branching out into a slew of industries as it ramps up to take on booking apps, which have the potential to offer lucrative revenue opportunities.

Google is bumping up support of integrated mobile Web experiences during key micro-moments with real-time transportation updates and a travel search and booking initiative (see story).

Ultimately, while Google?s Spaces app may contain the necessary wherewithal to take on a group sharing platform such as Slack, it may not possess enough differentiating features to convince consumers to jump ship entirely from the current mobile messaging alternatives.

?Is it truly filling a consumer need or is it providing a better alternative to other solutions?? Mr. Beccue said. ?What is the key communication app for Google? Hangouts? Spaces? Google+? Google Now??