Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google Messages is preparing new RCS labels for contacts.
- The app will soon display an RCS tag next to the names and numbers of contacts using RCS.
- In addition to the RCS label, Google Messages is also tweaking the contact list UI to differentiate RCS-enabled users by color.
Google Messages appears to be working on a useful improvement that would make it easier to see which of your contacts are using RCS (Rich Communication Services). The feature isn’t live yet but we spotted and enabled it during an APK teardown of a recent beta version of the app.
An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
Currently, when you open the “Start chat” screen in Google Messages, you’re shown a plain list of contacts with no indication of whether a conversation you’re hoping to start would use RCS or SMS. The upcoming change adds a new RCS label to the right side of each contact’s name or number, clearly identifying the contacts who have RCS enabled. The feature even works to identify iPhone users who have enabled RCS messaging.
In addition to the RCS label, Google Messages is also tweaking the contact list UI to differentiate RCS-enabled users by color. In light mode, this subtle change is easy to miss. RCS users’ names are tinted using Material You accents, while SMS-only contacts appear in plain white. The color difference is much more apparent in dark mode, where the contrast stands out.
Moreover, the new RCS labeling feature in Google Messages also works when a contact has multiple numbers saved. If only one of their numbers supports RCS, the label appears next to that specific number, helping you choose the right number to message if you want the chat to be RCS-enabled.
Why does RCS labeling matter?
By now, you probably already know the benefits of RCS. It’s a modern messaging protocol that goes beyond traditional SMS and supports features like typing indicators, read receipts, high-resolution media sharing, and more. It’s essentially Android’s version of iMessage.
Knowing which contact is using RCS at a glance could improve your texting experience if features like image quality, encryption, or read receipts matter to you. It will also give you a better sense of how widespread RCS adoption is among your contacts.
There’s no word yet on when or if this feature will go live for all Google Messages users, but its presence in the beta version suggests it could be around the corner.
