A recent update to Google Messages web application now allows users to directly reply to RCS chats, an experience akin to its Android counterpart. Previously, the web app only permitted users to copy text, delete, and react with a limited selection of emojis to RCS messages.
This new update introduces the ability to reply directly to RCS messages through the desktop web client, presenting the chat above the text field with a “Reply to message” prompt. This user experience mirrors that of the Android app, which gained this feature in October 2022. This new functionality has been in high demand, given the long-standing ability of the Messages web app to display quote replies made on or from mobile devices.
The last enhancement to the Messages web app was the inclusion of updated RCS read receipts/send status. Notably, these direct replies are not yet available on Android tablets, despite other recent modifications to the tablet interface.
In related news, the Messages for Wear OS has received a design update. Suggested replies are now presented within thin-outlined pill-shaped containers rather than filled buttons. This design change may foreshadow further tweaks to align with the upcoming Wear OS 4 design language.
