On Google Messages, you could already react to RCS messages with an emoji. The app is now testing the same functionality, but for SMS. Interesting, but not yet very practical for your contacts who do not use the same service.
Google Messages adds a new string to its bow. The application already allowed to react with an emoji to RCS messages. However, this function was not available for SMS. At least not until the latest service update.
As a reminder, the RCS protocol (Rich Communication Service) is widely pushed by Google to replace the SMS considered more and more obsolete. The RCS unlocks several options (“Seen” mention, sending photos and videos in high quality, group discussions, etc.) and is intended to be better encrypted for better security. It is also since Google Messages became compatible with this technology that we can react to certain messages. Long press on a text bubble received allows to display a panel of seven reactions: thumbs up, down and five expressive faces.
Again, this was only valid on RCS messages. However, according to 9to5Googlea handful of users notice that they now have the possibility of leaving a reaction on SMS received.
If your recipient also uses Google Messages, then they’ll see an emoji in the corner of the message they sent.
A not-yet-perfect solution
On the other hand, if your contact uses another SMS client, he will receive an automatic message indicating that you have reacted with an emoji to such SMS. Example: “? to “OK see you later””. We welcome the effort to integrate an emoji into this automatic message to make it more lively, but it is an imperfect solution.
It’s still more enjoyable to read, however, than when someone on Android receives a reaction from an iMessage user on iPhone. Only text without emoji appears. Though. On Google Messages, for the past few months, we have seen an emoticon appear on the corner of the bubble, even if the reaction was sent from iMessage. Apple took credit for it by passing it off as something new in iOS 16, but it’s actually an update to Google Messages on Android.
As a reminder, Google Messages also intends to offer you the possibility of reacting with any emoji to an RCS message, but this novelty is not yet ready.
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