For power users who miss the speed and cloud-sync of old Hangouts, Telegram is arguably the best client available. It has a dedicated desktop app, doesn't require your phone to be online to receive messages, and supports large file transfers.
In 2020, Google announced a strategic split to replace the aging Hangouts architecture with more specialized enterprise and consumer tools. hangouts desktop
"Don't ask how long I can stay. The backup cluster is scheduled for physical decommission at 6 AM Central Time. That's 4 AM here. I have… forty-seven minutes." For power users who miss the speed and