You are right. Google has completely fractured message on Android. You have to install 10 different messengers to be able to talk to different factions of people. Also since they want to push Google Hangouts' online feature their messaging app is quite confusing.

I stick to Anroid for innovations like LastPass's 'fill into applications', link browser, Pocket, etc. They are so tightly integrated with Android that it is very pleasurable to use.