[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Android smartphone owners that use Android Messages can now send and receive text messages from their computer. The feature, which rolled-out worldwide today, means users can continue to send and receive messages in their text threads even when their phone isn’t to hand. Text, photographs, and stickers are all supported in the web browser version of Android Messages.
The new functionality brings Google’s offering up to par with the likes of WhatsApp, which offers a mobile app and web browser component, and Apple’s iMessage, which has iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and macOS apps for the messaging service.
To get started with the new feature, users need to ensure they are running the latest version of Android Messages by heading to the Google Play Store on their handset and checking for updates. Once that has been done, Android users need to navigate to messages.android.com on their desktop computer or laptop.
Android Messages only works on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge web browsers, so users with Internet Explorer are out of luck, at least for now.
When the Android Messages website loads, users will initially be presented with a QR code. This method of authentication will be familiar to WhatsApp users, as the messaging client also uses a QR code to establish a link between mobile app and web browser.
To scan the QR code in Android Messages, tap the three-dot icon in the top right-hand corner of the smartphone app, and hit the option marked ‘Messages for web’. This loads a camera interface, which users need to point at the QR code.
As soon as the scan is complete and the computer is ready to send texts, the smartphone will vibrate.
Android Messages contacts and conversation history will then be loaded inside the browser window. Unread messages will be shown with a red dot next to the Messages icon in the browser tab.
It’s possible to login to Android Messages to any number of different machines using this method, however, users will only be able to send texts from one computer at a time. As soon as users open Messages for web on a computer, their text conversations on any other computers or browser tabs will become inactive.
Messages for web still sends its messages via the Android smartphone app, so any costs that would be incurred by sending a text from the smartphone will still apply. That’s definitely something to remember when sending texts internationally from a web browser.
This is completely different to WhatsApp, which does not send SMS messages but instead uses an internet connection. As a result, international text messages are free.
The same applies for iPhone owners when texts are sent to other Apple-branded devices, these so-called iMessages have a blue colour bubble and are sent over an internet connection, not a cellular one. As a result, WhatsApp and iMessage are both end-to-end encrypted for added security and privacy.
Google says the latest conversation threads, contacts, and other settings in Messages for web will be encrypted and cached on the browser. However, SMS messages are not end-to-end encrypted.
Android Messages Product Management Director, Sanaz Ahari said:
With Android Messages, we’re creating a messaging experience that’s available on multiple devices, lets you share whatever you want to share, and makes it easy to take action on your messages with Google AI.
Today and over the next week, we’ll begin rolling out Messages for web, one of our top-requested features that lets you send and receive texts from your computer.
Alongside the launch of Messages for web, Google has also ushered in a smaller update to its Messages app on Android smartphones.
Integrated GIF support so you can search for and send GIFs in the Messages app. Tap the + button on the left hand side of the compose bar to search for GIFs for your conversation.
Smart reply which suggests text or emoji responses to incoming texts. Once you’ve tapped a Smart Reply suggestion, it sends immediately. Smart Replies will be available in English for now, and come to more languages over time.
Preview links within conversations. The next time your friend sends you a link to an article or a new restaurant, you’ll have an idea of what you’re about to click on. You’ll see an inline preview of the link, directly in your conversation.
Easy copy and pasting for passwords and verification codes sent through texts. Now, when you receive a message with a one-time password or code from a secure site —such as your bank—that you’re logging into, you can save time by copying that password directly from the message with a tap.
Apple is bringing the same functionality to its iMessage service with iOS 12, which will become available to iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch owners later this year.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1490465819137{margin-top: 5px !important;margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 5px !important;margin-left: 5px !important;border-top-width: 5px !important;border-right-width: 5px !important;border-bottom-width: 5px !important;border-left-width: 5px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;background-color: #f4f4f4 !important;border-left-color: #eaeaea !important;border-left-style: groove !important;border-right-color: #eaeaea !important;border-right-style: groove !important;border-top-color: #eaeaea !important;border-top-style: groove !important;border-bottom-color: #eaeaea !important;border-bottom-style: groove !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”97858″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”96823″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.messaging”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][TS-VCSC-QRCode color=”#0014c9″ responsive=”true” size_min=”150″ size_max=”200″ value=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.messaging”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Version:Â Varies with device
Updated: June 14, 2018
Category: Messaging
Price: Free
Requirements:Â Varies with device
Developer:Â Google
Contains Ads: No
In-app Purchases: No[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
