GOOGLE has rolled out its new messaging service to all its US Android users today.
Like Apple’s iMessage, the tool is a hefty upgrade to standard text messaging that shows you read receipts and lets you see when contacts are typing.
This service is already available in the UK and was rolled out to existing devices through an update.
Essentially, the tool – which relies Rich Communication Services (RCS) – is a bit like WhatsApp, but will come pre-loaded on all future Android phones.
It lets you ping your mates high-quality photos with ease.
The one drawback is that Google has skimped on data protection for now.
Whereas iMessages are end-to-end encrypted – meaning the contents of your chats are scrambled to block out outsiders – Android’s chats won’t be to start with.
That means hackers could break into your phone and read the messages, or that governments could request and access your data.
So if you’re even partially concerned about privacy, you’re probably better off sticking with WhatsApp on Android.
For the uninitiated, RCS is a messaging standard that will allow for free chats between Android users on different mobile networks.
The way it works is straightforward: You send a text through the Messages app on your Android phone and a user on a compatible network will receive it as a Chat free of charge over Wi-Fi.
It’ll eat in to your data allowance if sent over 4G, and will be sent as a regular SMS to those who don’t have Chat enabled – including iPhone users.
In other news, the retro flip phone is back with a bang after Motorola unveiled a revamped version of its iconic Razr handset.
WhatsApp ‘dark mode’ that makes it easier to text at night is finally coming to iPhone.
And, check out this iPhone XR deal with 75GB data at just £36 per month with no upfront cost.
What do you make of the Android Messages app update? Let us know in the comments…
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