Having multiple Android devices won't be much of a problem soon.
Google is reportedly developing a new feature for its Messages app that allows it to display a user's conversations across multiple Android devices, much like WhatsApp.
Google has yet to confirm the development of such a feature officially, and as such, it has yet to give a definite release date.
Google Messages Multi-Device Support
Google Messages has something Apple's iMessage doesn't - RCS chats. The search giant claims that RCS messaging has become the industry's modern standard, completely replacing SMS in the process.
The messaging system in question allows users to send and receive high-quality photos and videos, while messages sent with it can be encrypted. Unfortunately, Android users can't read, send, or receive messages on Google Messages on any other device except their primary device on which they use the app.
While there is a workaround to use Google Messages on other devices, it requires users to access the app's Web version on a mobile browser on another device. Thankfully, Google is reportedly developing a feature that takes the middleman out of the equation.
Feature hunter AssembleDebug revealed in his latest blog post (via Android Authority) that the search giant is planning on using users' phone numbers and Google accounts to set up Google Messages across multiple devices. The feature hunter allegedly found the feature in question from Google Messages' code.
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Should the feature get released as planned, users could use Google Messages on other devices (e.g. secondary Android phone or Android tablet) without physically swapping their primary SIM into them. It also shares similarities with WhatsApp's multi-device connectivity feature "Linked Devices," which allows users to sync their messages across four devices.
Google may have realized that adding multi-device support to its Messages app makes sense as RCS chats linked to users' phone numbers. The search giant verifies users' ownership of a phone number when they link it to them when they opt-in for RCS messaging on Google Messages.
Nevertheless, how Google will handle its own multi-device connectivity feature remains to be seen; Messages' coding didn't reveal the number of devices the app could be connected to for it to sync chats successfully. Additionally, getting a possible release date is still out of the question since Google is still working on the feature.
The Workaround
Those who can't wait for Google to release its multi-device connectivity feature for its Messages app could use the workaround method previously mentioned. For those who wish to try it out, here are the instructions they have to follow (per Google):
- Open Messages on your phone
- Tap More (three dots) and then Device Pairing
- Open Messages for web in a web browser on your computer (or its web version on another phone)
- Using your primary phone, tap Scan QR code and hold it up to the QR code on the webpage on the secondary device. The primary phone will vibrate when scanning is complete.
Related Article: AT&T Makes Google's RCS Platform Its Default Messaging System
