Google Messages

The latest Scam Detection features for Google Messages and the Phone by Google app are coming to Pixel with a March update.

Google Messages has redesigned the UI for taking and sending pictures that permanently merges a live camera viewfinder with your gallery. As part of this, Google is also rolling out the ability to send pictures and videos in “Original quality.”

Back in June, the GSMA Association responsible for RCS finalized the latest standard with features like the ability to delete a sent message, and Google Messages is readying support.

In a confusing change, Samsung Messages once again supports RCS messaging on the Galaxy S25 series, despite Samsung having gone all-in on Google Messages a while back.

Still in testing, Google Messages has made a small color tweak to the upcoming redesign of RCS read receipts that makes the indicator bolder.

Google Messages has been working on dual SIM RCS since the start of this year, and support is now more widely rolling out in beta.

Late last year, Google widely rolled out “profile sharing” wherein you set what name and contact photo other people see in the Messages app. This resulted in people seeing different profile images, but Google Messages is now letting you override that with “Set as chat picture.”

The biggest moment for Google Messages in 2024 was when the iPhone gained RCS support with iOS 18 in September. In terms of new features, there were some highlights but the biggest one — a redesign of the text field — was stuck in limbo. There are quite a few big additions in the pipeline. 

Google Messages is becoming one of the most feature-rich messaging clients on mobile with tons of features. The RCS app’s selection of settings makes it a fantastic default messaging app for the Google Pixel or any Android phone. This guide will take you through everything we think you should set up in Google Messages on your Android device.

Earlier this year, Google Messages introduced Profile discovery — which has since been renamed to “Profile sharing” — and is now rolling out a prominent way to “Customize how you are seen.”

The day has arrived, as Verizon has officially shut down its Message+ app on Android in favor of Google Messages, but users aren’t happy about the change, especially as the old app has blocked access to messages entirely.

Verizon Message+ is set to stop working in a few days (after a month-long delay), and Google is out with a brief guide for those switching to its Messages app.

After abandoning the previous design a few months ago, Google Messages is back with another redesign of the text field.

RCS has been a long journey, but with Apple finally adopting the standard in its latest iOS update, messaging is genuinely improving for users. In a new campaign, Samsung and Google tout support for RCS on Galaxy devices and Android following Samsung’s full embrace of Google Messages.

For the most part, message backup on Android today is handled on the system-level by Google (One). Google Messages is now readying an in-app “Backup & restore” experience.

In addition to adding “Your profile” settings, Google Messages is now explicitly reminding you what name and profile you’re “Sending as.”

Google Messages is more widely rolling out the simple ability to “Double tap to heart” on Android. 

Last month Verizon announced it would kill its “Message+” app for Android phones sold on its network, transitioning users over to Google Messages. But, now, Verizon has extended the timeline a bit.