Google is rolling out the much-anticipated update today that will allow users to see message reactions from iPhone users as emojis. The update is currently only rolling out for those who set the language of their device to English. Messages by Google is also receiving several new features.
Google today announced several new features that are already rolling out to Android users around the globe. Perhaps the biggest news today is that users will now be able to see message reactions from iPhone users as emojis, that is, if the device’s language is set to English.
“Feel the love (and laughter, confusion or excitement) from your iPhone friends, too. Reactions from iPhone users are now displayed on your Android phone as emojis, just like when you’re messaging with someone who’s using an Android device. Starting on devices set to English, with additional languages to follow.”
Alongside the new reaction update, users are also getting sharper videos. Google says that the use of the new RCS standard allows Android devices to share high-quality photos and videos with one another. Google is bringing Google Photos into messages, and users who send photos or videos will no longer send over a blurry mess in different resolutions. The company said that users will be able to send photos in the same fashion, without any sacrifice to the quality of the content.
Google also mentioned that while these features are helpful and provide great value to send content over messages, it needs Apple and the rest of the industry to join the RCS standard to make messaging better for everyone, not only Apple or Android users.
“But these new updates can only do so much. We encourage Apple to join the rest of the mobile industry and adopt RCS so that we can make messaging better and more secure, no matter what device you choose.”
Other features introduced to Messages by Google include new organizing tools. The app will have new tabs on the top to separate Personal and Business messages into their own categories. Users will also be able to set one-time passwords messages to automatically delete after 24 hours, reducing the clutter. These features launched in India first, and it’s not expanding to the US.
The app will also “gently remind you” to reply to messages that have been missed or forgotten about, similar to how Gmail can notify you of unopened emails. This feature will roll out to English users around the globe.
Additionally, users will who save their contacts’ birthdate will now get a reminder to wish friends and family members happy birthday when the big day comes. Gboard will also allow users to use Emoji Kitchen to mix-and-match emojis and send them as stickers.
