Google Messages Now Has 1 Billion Users Sending RCS Messages Every Month

Google announced today that its Messages app on Android has crossed 1 billion users sending RCS messages every month. RCS is a new messaging protocol created by mobile carriers to replace the decades-old SMS standard, and it supports features you can find on most messaging apps today such as typing indicators, read receipts, and seamless group chats.

“Today marks a new milestone that we are incredibly proud of: There are now more than one billion monthly active users with RCS enabled in Google Messages,” said Sanaz Ahari, VP and GM, Android and Business Communications today. “We are grateful to our partners and our users that have advocated for RCS over the years.”

Having failed to create an equivalent of Apple’s iMessage for Android, Google became one of the biggest supporters of RCS in recent years. However, Samsung and other manufacturers of Android phones have also implemented support for RCS in their default messaging apps.

Until recently, Apple was the only big phone manufacturer to add support for RCS on the iPhone, but that will finally change in 2024. “We are pleased that Apple also took their first step two weeks ago in announcing that they’re embracing RCS,” Ahari said today.

To celebrate 1 billion RCS users on Google Messages, the app is also getting a couple of new features such as animated emoji, Reaction Effects, and Voice Moods for voice messages. Google Messages will also let users choose their name and profile picture to help other people in a group chat identify who they are.