The simple Messages app is now Google’s champion in trying to refocus its messy messaging strategy. A big part of that strategy is RCS support, which has been slowly being implemented for more people (despite operator involvement). RCS is considered by some to be the equivalent of iMessage for Android, and the latest update brings a very similar feature to iMessage.
Earlier this summer, Google was found to be working on emoji chat reactions for RCS conversations. Reactions are quite common among other messaging services, including iMessage, and allow you to react without sending a new message. Reactions are now available in conversations with “Chat” features enabled (RCS).
Next up is Smart Reply for stickers. The smart reply feature is something that Google has included in various services, including messages. Use machine learning to suggest responses to messages. Now Smart Reply will not only suggest text responses but also stickers. This can be turned on or off in settings.
Finally, Google highlights some features that allow you to edit and play with photos before sending them. This is another thing that Google has been working on for a while. There are a few different highlighter options, including highlighter, highlighter, and marker. Text can be added and resized, drag and rotate around the image as well.
As mentioned, the feedback feature is limited to RCS conversations, but sticker suggestions and photo editing are available to everyone. Google continues to make Messaging a decent messaging app, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Source: Google
