Social media is a landscape dictated, sometimes dominated, by trends.

And Justin Bieber.

Besides the Biebstar the must-have accessory for any social player these days is a standalone messaging app.

Now Google's getting the message and reportedly working on its own.

Mixed message

According to a report in Digital Trends, Google is developing an app in the WhatsApp and Viber model.

Google already has the excellent Hangouts app, however a big point of difference is that Google's new offering won't require the ubiquitous Google+ login.

No strings attached

This could be a tempting point of difference for users. Google has recently relaxed the rules on needing a G+ account to access some if its other products.

Having a standalone app might also help Google penetrate new markets, similar to the way WhatsApp has helped Facebook increase its footprint in India.

Stay tuned for phase two of the messaging free-for-all.