Google Messages can now translate iMessage reactions for Android users
Texting between Android and iOS just got easier, as Google Messages has finally added support for iMessage reactions.
The new feature is currently rolling out in beta, and when enabled on it will automatically convert an iOS user’s reactions (which Apple insists on calling Tapbacks) into an equivalent Android emoji on non-iOS devices (via 9To5Google).
The translated symbol will appear in the bottom-right corner, just as it would for an iOS user, although be warned – the experience isn’t quite a like-for-like conversion.
Much like if you’re trying to communicate through Google Translate, some subtlety might be lost when the Tapbacks are turned into emojis.
For the thumbs-up and thumbs-down reactions (Like and Dislike) the iOS and Android symbols are identical. However, the heart Tapback will become a heart-eyes emoji, the HaHa becomes the tears of joy emoji, the exclamation points turn into a shocked-face emoji, and the question mark becomes a thinking emoji.
For most people, the changes won’t matter all that much, but emojis could be perceived to carry different or more exaggerated meanings than Tapback responses. So if you’re on iOS and reacting to your Android friend’s messages you might want to be careful about how you react to what they say.
The reason there’s a change at all is that the Tapbacks have to be converted into RCS (Rich Communication Services) supported symbols. RCS is the backbone of the Google Messages service, and delivers several other features including Wi-Fi texting, read receipts and end-to-end encryption like you’ll find on other apps.
Once the update has been downloaded, Android users should find that the new feature is automatically turned on for them. Turning it off is fairly easy though: in Google Messages, open the menu by tapping the three vertical dots, then go to Settings > Advanced – here you should see a toggle for ‘Show iPhone reactions as emoji’.
At this time Apple hasn’t stated if it will adopt RCS, and support doesn’t yet go both ways, so Google Messages users can’t currently react to iMessages – we’ll have to wait and see if that changes, but we’re not holding our breath.
Audio player loading… Texting between Android and iOS just got easier, as Google Messages has finally added support for iMessage reactions. The new feature is currently rolling out in beta, and when enabled on it will automatically convert an iOS user’s reactions (which Apple insists on calling Tapbacks) into an…
Recent Posts
- Ecobee’s Smart Thermostat Premium is nearly matching its all-time low
- The 9 best early Memorial Day TV deals: up to $1,000 off 4K, QLED and OLED TVs
- iPad Pro 2024 teardown video reveals some of Apple’s internal design changes
- X-Men ‘97 didn’t have to go that hard
- Razer Fujin Pro Gaming Chair Review: Giving My Back an Extra Life
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011