- According to 9to5Google, Google just updated the Messages app
- Now you can react to RCS text messages with any emoji
- Google Mail is catching up with its competitors
Google has just updated its messaging application, the one that is installed by default on Android smartphones. And thanks to the novelty offered by the firm, your texts will be less boring. Indeed, you will have the possibility to react to messages with any emoji. What bring more joy and emotions to the exchanges, but provided that the two correspondents communicate with Android smartphones and via RCS messages, but not on SMS.
Ok Google Messages I see you with the option to react using any emoji. I’m here for that! pic.twitter.com/M8WlUnaCjZ
— KEVIN | Brand Developer (@KevOnBrand) February 2, 2023
As a reminder, today, it is on the RCS protocol that Google relies to compete with WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram and of course iMessage. The particularity of this one is that it is not a Google protocol, but a technology defined by the GSMA, the association of telecommunications and mobile players. It is also considered the successor to SMS (but has not been adopted by Apple).
When Android users communicate via RCS (instead of old-fashioned SMS), Google Messages offers advanced messaging features, such as data encryption, attachments, or emoji reactions. It’s been a while since the app allows you to react to messages received with some emoji reactions. But the novelty is that from now on, the user will be able to use any existing emoji (and no longer only the 7 emojis selected by Google) to react.
A new Google spotted in November
To react to a message (if this new feature has already arrived on your device), simply do a long press on it. According to the news site 9to5Google, Google started offering this new feature to a few Messages users in November. But now, it would be deployed on the stable version of messaging.
Add any emoji reaction to Messages in Google Messages ????✌??#AndroidTips #Android #TeamPixel pic.twitter.com/1djeciNwfu
—Michael Brown (@MichaelBTech) November 27, 2022
In any case, with this umpteenth novelty, Google Messages is getting closer to the experience we have on competing services. Indeed, the ability to react to a text message with any emoji is something that many apps already offer, to name only Slack and WhatsApp.
But the real problem with Google Messages and RCS technology today is that these are incompatible with the iPhone. When an Android user exchanges a text message with an iOS user, the message is sent via SMS. As a result, the exchange does not take advantage of advanced features like data encryption, or these new emoji reactions. In this regard, Apple is accused of not wanting to support RCS to retain its users.
