This Google Messages function is lastly breaking RCS exclusivity

Whereas Google Messages has lengthy let customers customise their RCS chats with a number of colours, it bought a significant improve in August with the introduction of chat themes, a function we first uncovered in Could. One key limitation of this customization software is that it solely works with RCS chats. It now appears like Google has flipped the change for normal SMS/texts, too.

As a Reddit person factors out, Google Messages seems to have quietly enabled chat themes for non-RCS chats. A fast look on my Pixel 6a confirms this, with a pink dot prompting customers to strive it for the primary time.

It’s unclear how lengthy this function has been energetic, and we are able to’t discover any official assist web page doc that mentions this growth to incorporate non-RCS chats.

Whereas RCS messaging is turning into the norm, it hasn’t totally changed typical textual content messages but. With this in thoughts, it is sensible for Google to convey this function to all Messages customers.

Along with discovering chat themes through the three-dot menu on the prime proper of the dialog, customers may also entry this function on the contact data web page by tapping the person’s title.

The brand new chat theme function limits the wallpaper to the one who units it. Against this, the earlier “Change colours” possibility, which was additionally restricted to RCS chats, modified the colours for everybody within the chat.

Eradicating this limitation implies that each Google Messages dialog, whether or not RCS or SMS, could be adorned with preset or customized wallpapers and the person’s most well-liked colours. Since adjustments are solely mirrored regionally in your telephone, there was nothing holding Google Messages again from implementing this customization function for normal texts as nicely.

So, when you’ve got somebody in your contacts who nonetheless makes use of the old school SMS, there’s lastly a method to give the chat a visible improve.