Allo can send you messages on Android even if you don't install it

On Android, friends with Allo can bug you even if you haven't installed the app yet.

Google has built a unique trick into its new messaging app, Allo, which it surely hopes will help spread its reach throughout the vast Android user base. Allo can send messages to your Android friends, even if they don't have the app installed.

It'll look a little something like this:

Be prepared for confused responses from your friends.

The notification lets you respond through text along (as opposed to stickers, photos or anything like that), or alternatively ignore it altogether. There's also a button taking you straight to the Play Store install page for Allo.

How can Google do this? The notification is generated by Google Play Services, which is installed on just about every Android phone, and updates silently in the background.

For that reason, there's a good chance your Allo contact list will contain a good few people who don't have the app installed yet. And so be prepared for confusion when messaging people for the first time. The feature does seem to be a bit flaky, though. Some people without Allo installed who are on our contact lists aren't getting these "introductory" messages through Play Services, while others are.

Google, as a platform holder, has a unique advantage over other chat apps in that it can allow Allo to reach anyone running the latest version of Play Services. Whether that's fair is debatable, but it's certainly a powerful way to drive installs of a new app.

Anyone receiving (or sending!) random Allo messages this morning? Getting confused replies back? Shout out in the comments!