Google Messages hits 1 billion active RCS users, rolls out new features to rival iMessage

Google has announced that it has recently achieved a major milestone with 1 billion active users using the RCS mobile messaging protocol on Google Messages. This is specially noteworthy, given Apple's surprise announcement to officially support RCS in 2024, which means a significant development for companies aiming to rival Messages, particularly in the USA, where WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal aren't the dominant communication standards (unlike most other parts of the world). To celebrate, Google Messages has introduced several updates emphasizing customization, aligning somewhat with Apple's platform.

The company has incorporated AI technology into Google Messages with the introduction of Photomoji, a feature that converts photos into stickers. The messaging platform has also improved its audio quality and introduced nine animated themes for voice messages. A new feature, "screen effects," has also been added, which triggers over 15 new animations in messages based on specific phrases. The app now also includes customizable bubbles, reactions effects and animated emojis, which are actually pretty similar to those found in Messenger.

There is a new profiles feature, which allow users to customize how they appear to contacts who don't have their details saved, but they also can personalize individual chats with different colors and backgrounds as well, making it easier to differentiate between conversations (similar to WhatsApp backgrounds).

Google's rollout strategy involves a gradual release of these features, with availability depending on the market and device, but interested users can sign up for beta testing to access new features early.