November has been a giant month for RCS — the cellular messaging protocol championed by Google — and now, the corporate is capping it off with the announcement of a milestone and a few festive new options. First, the quantity: in accordance with Google, over 1 billion month-to-month lively customers are utilizing RCS in Google Messages. That’s large contemplating help was scarce only a handful of years in the past, although not fully stunning because it’s been the default messaging service on Android telephones for a couple of years now.

As for the brand new messaging options, a few them may sound acquainted to iOS customers. There’s a brand new characteristic that ties into your Google account to create a Contact Poster-like profile along with your title and photograph. Google is including one thing referred to as Photomoji, which helps you to reduce individuals out of your photographs and use the photographs to react to messages as you’d with an emoji. Apple provides one thing related in iOS 17, although you need to flip your photograph cutouts into stickers so as to add them to iMessage conversations. Based mostly on an especially scientific research of, like, 5 of my buddies, this isn’t catching on in a short time.

Google Messages may also allow you to connect an emoji while you ship a voice message, which Google calls a “temper.” That’s a pleasant approach to assist somebody get the tenor of your message at a look. Emoji shared in group chats or used as reactions will generally embody an animation, too. And in a little bit nod to the entire inexperienced bubble / blue bubble scenario, Google Messages will now allow you to change the colour of the chat bubbles on every of your conversations.

I spoke to Android messaging VP and GM Sanaz Ahari concerning the new options and the place RCS is usually, which in fact, means asking about Apple. There’s good purpose to be enthusiastic about RCS on the iPhone as a result of — as Ahari aptly places it — “group chats are simply actually, actually damaged right now between Android and iOS.” Apple’s dedication to supporting the RCS common profile 2.0 signifies that picture and video sharing throughout platforms will get significantly better, however Ahari acknowledges that the two.0 spec doesn’t embody end-to-end encryption.

“We’re actively working with the GSMA — and Apple is a member of the GSMA — to evolve the spec to incorporate not solely end-to-end encryption, but additionally a whole lot of options that aren’t within the RCS spec that we’re engaged on including again to the spec.” Threaded replies, learn receipts, and reactions are a couple of of these options which might be unlikely to be supported for iPhone customers as the usual exists right now. “General, what we hope is that the trendy messaging options and end-to-end encryption will probably be a actuality cross-platform.”

That’s all a methods off, however within the meantime, Google’s new messaging options will probably be trickling out to RCS customers on Android telephones. At present’s characteristic drop additionally contains some helpful good dwelling integrations with Put on OS so you may set your Google House standing, set off a gaggle of lights, or begin a routine out of your watch. All of it rolls out beginning right now, with the brand new messaging options debuting first in open beta.