I tried to use Hangouts last week with the latest Firefox on a beefy machine. While it wasn’t explicitly blocked, it froze the whole browser after 30 seconds. Never got into the meeting.
I just tried using Hangouts yesterday. Did not work in FF, but oh wow it magically worked in Chrome. Also, the only Hangouts "Desktop" app still requires Chrome. Also when you use Hangouts on iOS, and you open a link, it asks if you want to use Chrome (which isn't even installed) or Safari. how about use the goddamn default browser? Nope, it's gonna ask me to use Chrome for the rest of eternity. Total shit.
I do have Chrome installed on iOS, although I don't generally want to use it. But now that I have it installed, Hangouts on iOS opens links ONLY in Chrome. It's infuriating.
Oh course the "desktop" (not really) Hangouts app also only opens links in Chrome.
Don't worry though, Hangouts will soon be discontinued and we'll have to complain about some Google chat app.
It's well known that that's simply because Safari is the only default browser option on iOS, so apps have to use workarounds if they want to let users open links in a different browser. Though even then all iOS browsers must use Apple WebKit.
On other operating systems you can set the default browser to be Firefox, Chrome, or whatever else you want, and different browser engines are allowed.
The inbox app for iOS has a “remember my choice” radio button for the Safari/Chrome choice. Somehow the app hasn’t remembered that choice for several months.
