Messages (formerly known as Android Messages) is an

SMS Short Message/Messaging Service, commonly abbreviated as SMS, is a text messaging service component of most telephone, Internet and mobile device systems. It uses standardized communication protocols that let mobile devices exchange short text ...

, RCS, and

instant messaging Instant messaging (IM) technology is a type of online chat allowing real-time text transmission over the Internet or another computer network. Messages are typically transmitted between two or more parties, when each user inputs text and trigge ...

application developed by

Google Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...

for its

Android Android may refer to: Science and technology * Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human * Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system ** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...

and WearOS mobile operating systems, while it's also available via the Web. Messages is Google's official universal messaging platform for the Android ecosystem, similar to the implementation of

iMessage iMessage is an instant messaging service developed by Apple Inc. and launched in 2011. iMessage functions exclusively on Apple platforms: macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Core features of iMessage, available on all supported platforms, includ ...

Apple devices This timeline of Apple products is a list of all computers, phones, tablets, Wearable computer, wearables, and other innovation made by Apple Inc., Apple Inc. This list is ordered by the release date of the products. Macintosh Performa models were ...

History

The original code for Android SMS messaging was released in 2009 integrated into the Operating System. It was released as a standalone application independent of Android with the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop in 2014, replacing

Google Hangouts Google Hangouts is a discontinued cross-platform instant messaging service developed by Google. It originally was a feature of Google+, becoming a standalone product in 2013, when Google also began integrating features from Google+ Messenger a ...

as the default

app on Google's Nexus line of phones. In 2018, Messages adopted RCS messages and was evolved to send larger data files, sync with other apps, and even create mass messages. This was in preparation for when Google launched messages for web. In December 2019, Google rolled out support for RCS messaging (under the name c''hat features'') in the United States, United Kingdom, France and Mexico. This was followed by a wider global rollout throughout 2020. The app surpassed 1 billion installs in April 2020, doubling its number of installs in less than a year. Initially, the app did not support

end-to-end encryption End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a system of communication where only the communicating users can read the messages. In principle, it prevents potential eavesdroppers – including telecom providers, Internet providers, malicious actors, and eve ...

. In June 2021, Google introduced end-to-end encryption in Messages by default using the Signal Protocol, for all one-to-one RCS-based conversations, and for all group chats in December 2022 for beta users, with plans for full release later that month. Beginning with the Samsung Galaxy S21, Messages replaces Samsung's in-house Messages app as the default messaging app for

One UI One UI is a user interface developed by Samsung Electronics for its Android devices running Android 9 "Pie" and later. Succeeding Samsung Experience and TouchWiz, it is designed to make using larger smartphones easier and be more visually appe ...

in selected markets. In April 2021, the app began to receive a modification to its user interface in markets outside of the U.S. when running on recent Samsung phones, which adheres to its use of larger headers within in-house apps to improve ergonomics.

Features

Some of the most important features in Google Messages are: * Send instant text and voice messages in 1:1 or group chat conversations over mobile data and Wi-Fi, via

, WearOS or th
Web
* End-to-end encryption by default * Typing, sent, delivered and read status * Reply and react to specific messages * Share files and high-resolution photos * Voice message transcriptions * Schedule messages * In-app reminders for birthdays and messages you didn't respond to after some time with Nudges * Tight integration with the Google ecosystem, e.g. Google Calendar, Meet, Maps,

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...

, Photos, Contacts,

Assistant Assistant may refer to: * Assistant (by Speaktoit), a virtual assistant app for smartphones * Assistant (software), a software tool to assist in computer configuration * Google Assistant, a virtual assistant by Google * ''The Assistant'' (TV seri ...

, Search, Safe Browsing etc.

References

External links

* Google instant messaging software Instant messaging protocols {{Google-stub Instant messaging Instant messaging clients Google Google services Google software Telecommunication services Telecommunication protocols Web applications Communication software Android (operating system) software

History

Features

See also

References

External links