What you need to know
- Google Messages is adopting color cues to differentiate RCS and SMS/MMS users, inspired by iMessage.
- Users engaging in RCS chats, on both Android and iOS, will have their contact names colored in Material You pastels.
- The Google Messages app will also display a small RCS badge next to contact names.
While there are various visual indicators in the Google Messages conversation list to distinguish RCS chats from standard SMS/MMS messaging, there are none prior to starting a new conversation. This may change in a future update, as revealed in an APK teardown of the Google Messages app by Android Authority.
In the beta version of the Google Messages app, there are now small RCS badges next to the contact names of individuals who have enabled RCS when starting a new conversation. When tapping the Start chat button in Google Messages, the list of suggested contacts will display the RCS badge for RCS users and nothing for SMS/MMS users. This functionality applies to both Android and iOS RCS users, which is significant.
The New conversation tab also alters the color of contact names using RCS, changing them from black to Material You pastels. These light tones are more visible in light mode compared to dark mode. This change closely resembles how Apple distinguishes iMessage users with blue and others with green.
If a contact has two numbers, you can now see individually whether one or both numbers support RCS. These badges and color codes for RCS can be useful in scenarios where you can only send an RCS chat, such as when mobile service is unavailable, and you’re relying on Wi-Fi.
As this feature is operational in the Google Messages app beta, it may soon arrive in the stable release. However, the official release date or announcement for this feature by Google remains uncertain.