Google Messages is looking to enhance your messaging experience by encouraging your friends to adopt RCS (Rich Communication Services). The app may soon introduce features that prompt users to invite their SMS-only contacts to join RCS, allowing for richer chat experiences. Recent updates have unveiled that Google Messages is preparing to include a functionality that auto-fills an invitation to send to friends not currently using RCS.
A teardown of the app’s latest version indicates that users will receive a prompt suggesting they “Text an invite” to their contacts. This new feature aims to simplify the process of getting friends on board with RCS, which includes benefits like high-quality media sharing and secure messaging. Currently, if you’re on Android and try to send an RCS invite, it simply directs users to the Google Messages Play Store page, which isn’t very helpful for those who already have the app but haven’t activated RCS.
However, there’s a good chance that Google will update this link before the feature goes live. Although these RCS prompts are not available yet, their presence in the app’s code suggests a rollout may be imminent. Embracing RCS significantly enhances messaging, offering features like typing indicators, read receipts, improved group chat capabilities, and end-to-end encryption for enhanced privacy.
To start using RCS, users can easily enable it by tapping their profile picture in Google Messages, navigating to Message settings, selecting RCS chats, and flipping the switch to “Turn on RCS chats.” This advancement is set to make communication not only easier but far more engaging for users.