The Google Messages application is getting a facelift

While the Google Contacts application recently reorganized its directory, creating for each record a new distinct section called “Connected apps” which specifies in a more readable way on which messaging services to reach the registered contacts, the Mountain firm View continues its modernization enterprise.

It’s the turn of Google Messages, the American giant’s messaging application, to be enriched with new features. With the adoption of the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol allowing the encryption of messages and the sending of better quality images compared to traditional SMS, the Mountain View firm offers more advanced functionalities through updates, that users are used to finding on competing apps like WhatsApp or Messenger.

So, beta version 20240308_01_RC00 now offers customization of colors and backgrounds for each conversation. Do you also want to be entitled to blue bubbles on Android? It’s now possible to choose from a range of eight colors or leave the default Material You setting to give chats a personal touch. An option which should quickly be deployed for all users and will for the moment only be accessible in conversations where RCS is activated.

Google Messages is also introducing animated emoji reactions in this beta, thus giving more impact to interactions between users, as noted by our colleagues at 9to5Google. All you have to do is add one of the ten emojis available in reaction to a missive and it will trigger an animation around the message bubble. The affected emojis are 👍❤️ 😂😮😡👎💩🎉😠😢.

These new features are part of Google’s strategy to make its Messages application, which recently exceeded one billion active users, more attractive and to make it compete with other services available on the market.