One of the bigger features in Android 11 is a new type of "bubble" notification, which has been in development for years and looks a bit like Facebook's ancient chat heads. Unfortunately, they require that apps specifically support them to work going forward. However, Google's first-party Messages app will pick up support for it "in the next week or two." The settings section for bubbles has also been changed slightly as of Android 11 Beta 1.
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Google's Messages app is packed with features, including a built-in markup tool, reminders, context-aware recommendations, a dark mode, RCS support, and a web interface. Most of these aren't available in other texting apps, especially the ones manufacturers pre-install on their phones, which make Messages particularly popular. In fact, it's so praised by users that it just passed one billion downloads on the Play Store, less than a year after reaching half as many installs.
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Before Google saved us all from the tyranny of the carriers, some enterprising folks worked out a sort of "hack" that enabled Google's RCS/chat services, letting us all send messages with the futuristic protocol, even if we weren't in one of the few supported markets. When it did finally start rolling out in the US, Google said that those using the hack would eventually be migrated after the initial rollout was complete. Now Google has announced that it is disabling that "hack" workaround by the end of the month.
Read MoreFollowing the formal reveal that Google is rolling out its flavor of RCS in the US, we had a few lingering questions, like what happens to folks that previously used the "hack," has the security used by Google's RCS changed at all to accommodate the US market, and is Google going to open its solution up for other messaging apps? (All among a longer list of even more technical questions.)
We reached out to Google and put together a little explainer for the subject that should make everything a little easier to understand.
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I don’t know how many people have taken advantage of the RCS “hack” recently discovered in Google Messages, which allows almost anyone to hop onto Google’s Jibe servers for RCS/Chat messaging, but it must be a pretty insane number given the attention our walkthrough has received. For some of those folks, this last week has been a source of anxiety, too, as all of us enjoying the new “Chat” features are left wondering whether or not Google will let this carrier circumvention fly. There was even a small hiccup that stirred up some panic. But if Google really wants what is best for consumers, it should do more than just ignore this apparent workaround.
Read MoreEven though it sounded like there might be some caveats, the big four US carriers recently announced that they'd finally get their act together and roll out a joint RCS system, bringing modern messaging to US customers sometime next year. Too little, too late, carriers. Earlier today, some folks figured out how to forcibly enable RCS on seemingly any recent phone here in the US via Google's Messages app. At first, it sounded too good to be true, but in our own testing, it works.
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Based on at least one report we've received, Google may be testing adding Duo integration into the Messages web app. A new prompt may be appearing for some, implying that Duo will be using your contacts in Messages to check for availability on Duo, which links to a support document by Google which confirms this integration. Following this prompt, a new icon for Duo-based video calling appears in supported conversations on Messages.
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Android 10 may not have brought the most substantial changes the OS has ever seen, but some of the new features have certainly been popular with users. Among those is a system-wide setting for dark mode, which allows apps to automatically switch their color palette to match. This still requires apps to actually support the mode switch, and as of the latest release of Google Messages, there is one more that has made the change.
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Sharing on Android has seen its ups and downs. Once one of the most powerful features of the platform, it became sluggish, inconsistent, and riddled with issues. Android Q was supposed to fix the speed problem, and even if it did (which I honestly can't tell anymore), it implemented a few other unwanted changes. Pinning apps on top is no longer possible, which means you're at the mercy of the algorithm for your direct share targets. And when the algorithm messes up, it messes up badly. One case I ran across lately is Messages taking over all eight direct share spots and not letting go of them, under any circumstance.
Read MoreFans of testing out buggy or unstable versions of Google apps, which would be most of our readers here at Android Police, will be excited to hear that Google is rolling out a testing program for the Messages app (née Android Messages). As with other beta testing programs, all you need to do is opt in, and you'll be among those who get to check out new features and bugs early.
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