In all honesty, text messaging has evolved by miles in recent years. A major part of the credit should go to RCS, which might’ve also killed the Green vs. Blue bubble debate. Now, Google Messages is slowly becoming a go-to platform for text messaging, even among Galaxy users, again thanks to collaborative efforts between Google and Samsung. The latest Google Messages beta hints at a new media reply feature that could enhance how we interact with shared media in chats.
Google Messages is bringing a cool way to reply to shared media in our chats
According to Android Authority, Google Messages might soon introduce threaded replies for media. The folks over at Android Authority spotted the upcoming feature in the code strings while APK teardown. The publication mentioned that they were tearing down messages.android_20250115_03_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic of the app.
Currently, reacting to shared media in Google Messages requires long-pressing on an image or video within a chat. However, if these findings come true, things are about to get much more interactive. Soon, tapping on a shared media item could open a new interface at the bottom of the screen. From there, you’ll be able to leave emoji reactions or write comments directly on the image.
Additionally, a new “conversation” icon may allow users to view all replies to a specific piece of media in a dedicated thread. This feature could make it significantly easier to keep track of conversations, especially in group chats where shared media often takes center stage.
There’s still some waiting to do
While it’s unclear when — or if— this functionality will officially roll out, it’s clear that Google is focusing on improving interaction within Messages. That said, features uncovered during teardowns don’t always make it to public releases, so take this with a grain of salt. Still, it’s exciting to see what Google has in the works.
