Thanks to Rich Communication Services (RCS), the Google Messages app now boasts tons of features, rivaling the likes of iMessage and WhatsApp, among others. There's a lot you can do, be it sending high-quality photos and files, voice notes, typing indicators, or reading receipts.
However, there is one important feature the app misses out on: the ability to edit sent messages. Most instant messaging apps now come with this feature, and a new leak reveals that Google is working on implementing it, too.
Editing Sent Messages Will Soon Be Possible
Let's be real; we all make typos. Thankfully, most texting apps now allow us to edit our messages after we've sent them. Google was also developing this feature in its Messages app in December, and it looks like we are inching closer.
TheSpAndroid tinkered with the Google Messages app, confirming the arrival of an edit option soon. He found a few lines of code in the latest beta version of the app, suggesting how the feature would work.
How Will This Feature Work?
To edit a sent message, you'll need to long-press on it until you see a slew of options. From the top action row, you'll need to tap the pencil icon, allowing you to make changes to your message.
Google Messages will allow you to edit messages for up to 30 minutes after sending. For comparison, both iMessage and WhatsApp – two of its biggest competitors – allow editing of messages for up to 15 minutes only.
The leaker also found a string named “Original message:”, suggesting an option to view the editing history of the edited messages will also be available.
However, when he tested the feature, it didn't seem to work correctly. The other person received the edited message as a separate one. He believes this is because the feature needs to be enabled for all the chat participants to function correctly.
The Feature Roll-Out Seems To Be Close
On his blog, the leaker has also shared that he anticipates the feature to roll out either by the end of this month or next. However, it will probably go live on the app's beta version first.
If you're eager to try this feature as soon as it arrives, you can join the app's beta program. You can do so by visiting this link and updating your app from the Google Play Store. However, we don't recommend this, as beta apps are prone to bugs and glitches.
That said, it’s worth noting that the edit option will only be available on RCS chats and not on all text messages.
What Is Rich Communication Services (RCS) Messaging?
Rich Communication Services is a messaging protocol set to replace SMS soon. It works online, allowing for more features than traditional text messages.
RCS has enabled Google to bring features similar to those found in WhatsApp and Telegram into its messaging app. These features include voice notes, read receipts, group messaging, typing indicators, and more.
The tech giant is now using this technology to introduce the option to edit messages in its app. Let’s wait and see when it finally rolls out.
