Google's messaging options are a mess, and it has just rolled out a new tool to scramble the cards even more: Android messages but on the web. It gives you access to your Android SMS conversations via a web browser, and allows you to send and receive messages. Does this make life easier for those who are in Google's purgatory of cat? And does it bring Google closer to iMessage and WhatsApp apps?
Android Messages on the Web
Android Web messages are not a good web client, like Facebook Messenger, for example. For example, it's just a matter of synchronizing your phone conversations with your browser, just like the WhatsApp web client. You can not use it on multiple computers at the same time, and you can not use it if your phone has no connection.
The feature should now be active for just about everyone. Head to the Android Messages portal, and you're presented with a QR code; then, from the Android Messages app, press the menu button (three dot, top right) and choose Messages for the web . Tap Scan QR Code, then point your phone's camera on your web browser, and you're there.
The web interface syncs with your phone, like WhatsApp. Screenshot: Gizmodo
Android Messages on the web, much like Android messages on your phone, is a pretty spartan experience. You have your list of conversations and the conversations themselves, and that's about it all. Images, emojis and stickers can be attached to your messages via the buttons at the bottom: the last trigger is used to switch to MMS, so the MMS must be activated on the recipient's phone.
Dive into settings via the three-dot menu button on the left pane, and you can enable or disable browser notifications, switch to dark mode, and get your browser to remember the connection to your phone. This last option means that you no longer need to repeat the QR code, but your mobile must still be connected to the web via Wi-Fi or a cellular network – messages are always sent and received via your phone. 19659011] You can be setup in seconds Screenshot: Gizmodo
Recent conversations are cached and encrypted in your browser, says Google, and are ransacked after 14 days of inactivity (you will also need to repeat the connection again if not connected during this period of time.)
It is certainly convenient to be able to type texts in an appropriate web browser, but the fact that the phone is still in the process to make all communicate will frustrate some. It's not just about connecting to a browser and sending text, pictures, and everything that's available on Wi-Fi … as you can with Google Hangouts.
Android Messages vs all other Google chat applications [19659005] Speaking of Hangouts, for a long time we hoped that the application would be the only messaging tool to govern them all, especially when it added SMS and MMS support on Android. It continues to run on Android, iOS, Gmail and the Web, with support for everything from file transfers to video calls.
But apparently, this makes life too easy and simple for users, since Google has grown from Hangouts: an app that it's still developing. It's now pushing Hangouts to business users rather than the average consumer. Oh, and he is pulled SMS support.
Android Posts on the web does not offer the most filled interfaces Screenshot: Gizmodo
Allo looked like a replacement Google Hangouts decent, but died at this point. Despite a promising number of features, almost no one decided to install it – it did not support SMS, it did not work directly on the Web, which meant that it ## 147 ################################################################################# He did not present many compelling reasons for people to change.
Google is currently supporting a new horse "Google Chat", of which Android Messages is a part. It's more of an improved SMS service than an instant messenger in the traditional sense of the word, and perhaps in some intelligent way – while everyone could turn to towards whatsapp and similar apps, the humble message still counts for billions of messages each year.
Messages now has stickers! And link glimpses! Image: Google
From what we know about the rumor of Google Chat that is sinking (yes, it used that name before), it will merge the best features of instant messaging with the main functionality of SMS. It's like a successor to SMS, with group chats, support for full resolution images and videos, read receipts, etc., replacing the annoyance of SMS / MMS with something better . Google Chat is Rich Communication Services (RCS), and Android Messages now poses the basics. As Verge reports, we are not talking about a brand new app in itself. Instead, Google adds RCS support to Android messages, and tries to get every operator in the world to sign up to support the standard. Until now, there is an important hold-out: Apple
Android Messages vs iMessage
Apple of course has its own Messages application, which can function as a simple SMS client on the iPhone but who will try to convince you to enable iMessage: the all-in-one Apple email application that syncs perfectly with macOS and gives you a good reason to never stick to and switch to Android.
iMessage has a lot of positives: you get many features to play with, including text effects, support for photos and videos, location sharing, iCloud backups, and even a bunch of mini-applications. It's also end-to-end encryption, and it's something that the Google RCS project is unlikely to implement by integrating operators. This means that it is difficult for a third party to see your messages without physical access to any of the phones involved in sending and receiving these messages.
iMessage continues to add new features. Image: Apple
iMessage probably will not bother most iMessage users. There is no web interface for the service, and this is not available for Android or Windows – if you decide to change your phone or computer, you can not access your iMessages.
Google flounders and Apple tends to ignore Android and Windows. OTT applications like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are flourishing: your contacts need these specific applications installed, but they work on any type of phone and even on the Web, without going through the SMS / MMS channels provided by the operators. Your friends may not have Hello, but it is not often that you will meet someone without a Facebook or WhatsApp account.
In the end, Android Messages and Google Chat will not be able to compete directly with iMessage, or kill iMessage, and that's not really what Google is trying here anyway – that's plus a game against the wealth of OTT applications out there, that many users now prefer for their communications.
Facebook rebounds while Apple and Google stall Image: Facebook
Apple will not let another application support SMS and default email tasks, so Google can not get his own client on iOS as he did with Hangouts. What could happen (but do not hold your breath) is Apple's willingness to support RCS messaging standards.
Even though green bubbles stay in Messages for iOS, additional features like full picture and support for parts would come into play. Both Google and Apple would be left with their own rich chat apps that even work together … up to a certain point. We will have to wait and see what Google will unveil, and what partnerships it can grab, over the rest of the year.
