AfterDawn: News

Google to finally challenge iMessage properly? Leak suggests major Messages update

Android's default messaging apps are probably used by a minority small enough to fit on a palm of a regular sized human hand. Yes, no one uses them.

In most cases you either pick up WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger – both owned by Facebook, mind you – and only open up Messages, or whatever it's called, when absolutely necessary.



Now, this isn't the case on iOS. Apple has managed to capture many, perhaps even most, iPhone users with their iMessage. And I say capture, because it really limits their options moving forwards as there is no iMessage for Android, and likely never will.

So Apple knows that they have built a walled garden, with oh so delicious blue dots and off-putting green ones.

Obviously Google wants to be part of this messaging game. After all, Google wants to play all the games. However, every single approach since Gchat, later Hangouts, have been utter failures in the grand scheme of things. Google seems to be horrible at implementing social media and messaging.

Another try might be on the way, as Android Police have found proof, albeit very unofficial, about a new iteration of messaging on Android.

According to AP, Google is developing an improved Android Messages that includes Rich Communication Services (RCS) support, desktop messaging, and free messages via data connection like on iMessage.

As mentioned, none of this is official, but Google desperately needs to get their game together when it comes to messaging, so one can hope all this is coming soon.

Written by: Matti Robinson @ 10 Feb 2018 11:57

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• 3 comments

• Bozobub

  Um... Yeah. Android's "default messaging app" is simply SMS messaging, and nearly EVERYONE uses it, just as they do on the iPhone.

  10.2.2018 18:12 #1

• lamain

  Quote: Um... Yeah. Android's "default messaging app" is simply SMS messaging, and nearly EVERYONE uses it, just as they do on the iPhone. I am a Google fan and have been since the beginning. I have never owned a Apple device and I am unlikely to ever. The following is just an opinion of a fan.
  
  Google is a complete mess when it comes to chat programs. They have a crap load of options that do a part of the whole picture. The only one that was at least close to doing it all was Hangouts but then before a replacement was released they started dropping it support.
  
  I think the reason I am as annoyed as I am with Google is that as much as Hangouts was crappy it had finely pulled together all my text into one app. I could start a conversion by reading a voicemail on my computer, text that person from my computer, Continue the same conversion on my phone, and when I got home finish the conversion from any device I wanted at home. It was nice and they dropped it for a crap load of apps that could not replace it.
  
  Oh and I have never used messenger unless forced. It happens but not often.
  

  11.2.2018 02:00 #2

• DarkJello

  Agreed. I was just starting to really like hangouts, and then they yanked it away.
  

  11.2.2018 19:33 #3