Google has launched a new version of its Hangouts messenger app on the Chrome Store with new features including Mac OS X optimization, Digital Spy reports.

The application has been redesigned to bring it in line with the latest Android software, adopting Google's signature Material Design look.

Contacts are consolidated in a panel on the left hand side and chats are placed over on the right.

The new Hangouts app is also compatible with Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS computers, but users on these platforms must disable the transparent mode under the settings menu to take advantage of the new features.

Users who do not receive an automatic update to the latest version are advised to uninstall the software and reload it onto their machine.

Meanwhile, Google is rumoured to be on the verge of launching a standalone photos app by spinning the imaging features out of Google+.