Google Messages looks set to give RCS chats a sweet upgrade

• A new direct reply feature has been spotted in Google Messages.
• Users can hold or swipe a message to respond to an individual message. Tapping the preview would send users to the original text.
• The feature doesn't appear to be widely available, although some users have already received it on their devices.

One of the great things about the app is the ability to text between users of the app. The app isn't perfect, and there are several features we'd like to see added to the messaging service. It looks like a handy feature is being prepared that could help make conversations run more smoothly.

The ability to directly reply to individual messages was discovered in an APK teardown by 9to5google. In other messaging apps, when you long-pressing a message, a new icon will appear with the option to respond directly to that message. The option can be canceled with the flick of a wrist.

The response is presented as such to the recipient by the feature. The user will be sent to the original text if they tap on the preview.

The image is the first of three.

This feature is far from being developed, as replies also appear in the web app. Some users have begun to see the feature on their devices, with one of them stating that they are not using the trial version of the service.

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Even though it's not a novel feature, it's one step closer to a more fully featured messaging app. It's one of the features I wanted to see come to the messaging service, so I'm pretty excited to see it in use.

No announcement has been made about the feature being made available, so there is still some time before it is widely available.