Google Messages for the Web has introduced a new feature allowing users to directly reply to RCS chats, aligning it more closely with its Android counterpart. The latest update to the Messages web app primarily focused on enhancing support for updated RCS read receipts and send status.
Previously, users could perform limited actions such as copying text, deleting messages, and using a limited range of emojis when hovering over an RCS chat in messages.google.com/web.
However, Google has now addressed a long-standing user demand by introducing the ability to directly reply to RCS messages through the desktop web client (PWA). This new feature positions the chat above the text field, accompanied by a “Reply to message” prompt, delivering a user experience similar to the Android app’s functionality, which was introduced in October 2022.
The inclusion of direct replies is a significant enhancement, as the Messages web app has long supported the display of quote replies made on or from mobile devices.
Notably, this capability does not appear to be available for Android tablets, as the rectangular “Start chat” FAB has been relocated from the top of the conversation list to the bottom-right corner of the column. Despite the generally high level of feature parity with messages.google.com, the absence of direct replies on tablets raises some curiosity.
In a related development, a recent update to Messages for Wear OS reveals a new design for suggested replies, featuring thin outlines for the pill-shaped container instead of filled buttons. These changes may be indicative of forthcoming design language adjustments that could align with the release of Wear OS 4.
