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Android's stock texting app now includes anti-spam safeguards
Your Android phone's text messages could soon be relatively junk-free without needing help from carriers. Android Police has learned that Google is rolling out spam protection to the Messages app for at least some users. It's not clear just what the feature looks for, but Google is clearly aware of the potential privacy issues. While the company does have to transmit some message-related data to Google, it doesn't send any of the content itself.
Rumor claims Google Hangouts will shut down in 2020 (updated)
Stop us if you've heard this one before: there's a report that Google is considering either launching or shutting down a messaging app. 9to5Google said that based on a "source familiar with the product's internal roadmap," Google Hangouts as a consumer product will come to an end in 2020. Whether or not that holds up remains to be seen, and Google isn't officially saying anything about the app's future, but the writing has been on the wall since... forever?
Google is testing Android Messages integration on Chrome OS
Google has finally started testing the Chrome OS platform's Android Messages integration, which has been in the works for quite some time. According to Chrome Unboxed, some users who have access to the Chrome OS developer channel are already seeing seeing an option to activate a feature that will allow them to send and receive text messages from their Chromebooks.
Google is resurrecting blob emoji again
Fans of Google's now-dead blob emoji have a reason to be happy today. The company announced that it's resurrecting its cute, flatly designed characters, albeit as a sticker pack for Gboard and Android Messages. What's the occasion? Well, it's World Emoji Day, of course. This isn't a direct replacement for the standard circular emoji Google adopted after unceremoniously killing its own version off, but if you're feeling nostalgic for a time before Android O it should do the trick.
Android Messages hits the web for browser-based texting
Google added Rich Communication Services (RCS) into its Android OS to help it compete with Apple's popular iMessage. Google has also been exploring texting from your web browser since at least February. Now the feature appears to be officially available, and will roll out over the next week or so, along with four other features.
Google will plug 'Chat' into Android to compete with iMessage
Stop us if you've heard this one before: Google is planning to make another mobile messaging push. A report by The Verge shows off its next effort, simply called Chat. What Chat isn't is yet another app; instead, it's a brand name for Universal Profile features in RCS, a standard meant to replace old-school SMS texting with iMessage-like features (minus end-to-end encryption, unfortunately) for everyone. Earlier this year Google said it had 43 carriers and device makes signed on to support RCS, while an updated list shows 55 carriers, 11 OEMS and two operating system distributors: Google and Microsoft (but not Apple, yet).
Businesses tap Google's RCS for more useful text messages
Google has supported Rich Communication Services (RCS) for a while now, hoping to bring features like group chat, high-res photo sharing and read receipts to all Android users. The company made a big push to expand RCS support on Android last year, and carriers have been slowly adopting the standard and preloading Android Messages to the standard app load out. Now, Google says that it's convinced 43 carriers and device makers to add native support for the messaging protocol.
Google team will bring Smart Replies to more chat apps
If you've wanted to use Google's canned Smart Replies in chat apps, you've been limited to using Allo or (if you're on the right carrier) Android Messages. But what if you're one of the many, many people using something else? Don't fret: Google's experimental Area 120 group is working on a Reply project that, as the name implies, will bring Smart Replies to many messaging clients (currently just for Android). Hangouts is logically on the list, but so are third-party apps like Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp and even Twitter's direct messages. You'd only have to tap a button in your notifications to confirm that you're on your way or say you're doing well.
Google explores texting from your browser
Google's Android Messages app could soon get a dramatic makeover with some interesting new features, judging by an APK teardown by XDA Developers and Android Police. Most significantly, it looks like you'll be able to pair your phone with a computer and text directly from a browser like Chrome, Firefox and Safari, much as you can with Google's Allo messaging app.
Android Messages adds Smart Replies for Project Fi users
In 2015, Google debuted a new feature in its Inbox app: Smart Replies, which offered a trio of context-aware options for users to quickly reply with a few taps. That spread to other services in the company's suite, from Gmail last year to news last week that it might be added to Gboard. Now it's coming to the Android Messages app -- but only for Project Fi subscribers, at least for now.
Google kills Talk so Hangouts may live
Google has a frankly absurd ecosystem of chat, messaging and texting apps. In theory, the company would like enterprise users to get on board with Hangouts while directing people to Allo for their day-to-day personal chats and texts. In practice, however, you've got Hangouts (in both Meet and Chat flavors) on desktop and mobile, Android Messages or Google Voice for texts and SMS messages, Google Talk living inside Gmail and no dedicated app for Allo on the desktop. Although we already knew Google was dropping texts messaging from Hangouts, the company also announced the end of Google Talk today, signaling the end of the little chat app's 12-year lifespan.
Google's Android texting app has a new name
Despite how common texting is, its integration on Android has always lagged slightly behind, as Google appeared to focus on other things. Sometimes it wrapped the feature into other services/apps like Google Voice and Hangouts, but lately, the main Android texting app has been getting some tweaks too. The latest one brings a new name, as it goes from Google Messenger (probably frequently confused with the bot-laden Facebook Messenger) to Android Messages.
