Google Messages is currently testing a new feature designed to help users identify which contacts have Rich Communication Services (RCS) enabled. This feature displays an “RCS” label alongside color highlighting on the “Start chat” screen, using a themed color for RCS-enabled contacts and black or white for those who do not have it activated.
This enhancement aims to eliminate the confusion surrounding RCS availability, allowing users to better understand when they can access advanced messaging functions like encryption and high-resolution media, especially now that iPhones have also embraced RCS. At present, this feature is hidden within a beta version of Google Messages and requires manual activation; however, it appears well-designed and could be released to the public soon.
One of the main advantages of Google Messages is its capability to send messages through SMS, MMS, and RCS. Among these options, RCS stands out as the most secure and functional, offering features such as end-to-end encryption, typing indicators, read receipts, dynamic group chats, and the transmission of high-quality media.
With iPhones now supporting RCS, Android and iOS users can send messages to one another without their chat history appearing outdated. Nevertheless, promoting RCS adoption has been challenging.
Without explicit knowledge of friends using RCS or the need to initiate a chat manually, users currently lack a straightforward way to determine if a contact has RCS enabled. Recognizing this limitation, Google is likely working on improving the visibility of RCS status.
As noted by Android Authority in a recent beta build, it appears that Google is preparing to highlight RCS-enabled contacts on the New conversation/Start chat screen. In practice, this means that contacts with RCS will have their names highlighted in a distinct color while non-RCS contacts will appear in standard black or white, allowing for easy differentiation.
While the feature currently requires manual activation, it is expected that it will soon be available for broader use, particularly given the increasing number of iOS users adopting RCS.
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