Google Messages is set to introduce a trio of new features, although one of them may already be available on certain devices like the Pixel 6 Pro. First among these enhancements is the custom icon support for RCS (Rich Communication Services) group chats. Previously, when users created a new group in RCS, they had no control over the group icon. However, with the upcoming update, users will be able to customize the icon for existing groups and choose new icons when creating them.
These icons can be selected from photos stored on the device or illustrations provided by Google. Two main tabs—Device Photos and Illustrations—will guide users in selecting their preferred icons. Another exciting feature is notification snoozing. This functionality allows users to temporarily mute notifications for specific chats.
Notifications can be snoozed for various durations—1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or indefinitely. For chats with snoozed notifications, a clock icon will appear both on the home screen and within the chat itself, indicating the snooze duration. Notably, users can still receive notifications from snoozed group chats if they are tagged or mentioned. The final addition is the RCS tagging feature in contact lists.
This feature will help identify which contacts have RCS enabled by adding an RCS tag next to their names. For those with multiple numbers, only the number associated with RCS will show the tag. Users will find it easier to distinguish between RCS and non-RCS contacts, particularly in dark mode, as RCS users’ names will be shown in a different color. Google plans to roll out all three features in the upcoming days, with some users already experiencing the benefits of snoozed notifications.
Users can activate this feature by long-pressing a chat and selecting the alarm clock icon from the toolbar, which will prompt them to choose a snooze duration.