Double-tap, react: Google Messages might borrow a feature from Instagram

Double-tap, react: Google Messages might borrow a feature from Instagram،

Messaging has long been the preferred choice for communicating (especially among young people), and messaging apps are constantly aiming to make it faster and easier. Google Messages joins the trend by testing a new feature already familiar on Instagram, Messenger, etc.

Apparently in the works, Google Messages could soon allow users to react to chats with a double tap instead of the usual long press for emoji reactions. Strings of code hinting at this feature were discovered in the latest Google Messages beta APK by 9to5Google. However, as of now, the option is not active in the beta or stable version of the app.

Currently, a long press on a message provides a list of reactions along with additional options like copy, follow, delete, etc. The potential double-click gesture for reactions could separate these choices, providing a streamlined experience.

Although double-clicking won't significantly speed up the reaction process, as users would still have to choose the emoji after double-clicking, Google could simplify it further by assigning a specific action, like “heart”, to the double click. The exact mechanics remain unclear from the available code.

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is like a modern upgrade to SMS messaging, offering features like high-resolution media sharing, typing indicators, and read receipts. It is supported by major carriers and, although not yet universally available, RCS is expected to grow and become the standard for mobile messaging, even bridging the gap between different platforms.