I think the main reason people use hangouts at all is because everyone has gmail open all the time, or at least everyone has a gmail account. It's just laziness

I think the main reason people use hangouts at all is because everyone has gmail open all the time, or at least everyone has a gmail account. It's just laziness for the most part. Not that chat is that hard a problem or that hangouts is so good. If you have to go to newshinymessenger.google.com at any point, the advantage will die.