Google Finally Brings RCS Messaging to Android
Texting on Android phones is about to get a lot better, with Google Messages app in the US to incorporate features such as read receipts and exiting group chats.
Google is upgrading traditional SMS text messaging with more useful chat features, powered by RCS (Rich Communication Services). When you and your friends message each other with these chat features, you can chat over Wi-Fi or mobile data, send and receive high-resolution photos and videos, and see if people have received your latest messages. Plus, you’ll get better group chats, with the ability to name groups, add and remove people to and from groups, and see if people haven’t seen the latest messages.
Chat features are already available for some of you in Messages, and today Google is starting to broadly roll them out in the U.S. If you already have Messages, you’ll also be prompted to enable chat features in the coming weeks. If you don’t have Messages, you can download it on the Play Store. Google expects this service to be broadly available in the U.S. by the end of year.
Earlier this year, Google enabled the ability for anyone in the UK, France, and Mexico to get chat features in Messages and will continue to work on bringing this to everyone on Messages around the world.