In a major milestone moment for Google, it has been announced that over 1 billion monthly active users are now using the mobile messaging protocol called RCS in Google Messages. This is especially significant given the early lack of support for the service, making it a huge leap forward for the company. Along with this milestone, Google has introduced several festive new features including Contact Poster and Photomoji, which are interestingly similar to some features already present in iOS 17. Additionally, Google Messages will let users attach an emoji when they send a voice message, known as a “mood.”
The introduction of the new messaging features will make its way to RCS users on Android phones, and there will also be smart home integrations with Wear OS, allowing users to set their Google Home status, trigger a group of lights, or start a routine from their watch. However, when it comes to the future of RCS and its potential integration with iPhone, there are still quite a few key features that are unlikely to be supported for iPhone users due to the current standard. Nevertheless, Google is actively working with the GSMA to evolve the spec to include end-to-end encryption and other features to make modern messaging and encryption a reality across platforms.
This presents an intriguing development in the dynamic mobile messaging landscape, as Google continues to expand and enhance its messaging platform with these features. Furthermore, the potential for improved inter-platform messaging standards with the integration of RCS on iPhone will undoubtedly be something to watch for in the future.
