Is Google working on an iMessage competitor?

By Eric Brackett Published February 11, 2018

Both iOS and Android have their strong suits, but one of the biggest selling points of Apple’s operating system is iMessage. The built-in message app allows users to seamlessly transition from their iPhones to Mac computers. There are plenty of third-party Android apps that provide similar features, but now there are rumors that Google may be developing its own.

Google has tried to compete with iMessage several times before. The company’s efforts have always fallen short, however. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Google has so many different messaging services, ranging from Android Messages to Google Hangouts.

Recommended Videos

However, Android Police found something interesting in its recent teardown of an upcoming Android Messages update. It looks like Google is working on a desktop version of Android Messages. Based on the reports, the desktop version of the app will work within a browser extension, though it looks like users won’t be limited solely to Chrome.

The project is currently going by the codename Ditto, but the launch title is expected to be “Messages for Web.” In order to make use of the service, users will simply use their Android phones to scan a QR code, which will then link their chosen laptop or desktop to their smartphone. This should allow users to carry their conversations between multiple their computers and smartphones.

Another upgrade that appears to be in the works is the ability for users to send texts over their Wi-Fi networks. This has long been a feature of iMessage and it looks like Android will be getting the same treatment in the future.

There is also evidence that Google is setting up a payment system to work within Android Messages. This feature looks to be a bit different than Google Wallet, which allows users to transfer money to friends and family. This new payment system will allow you to buy items from various companies within the Android Messages app.

Google has not made any official announcements regarding the future of Android Messages, so the above should be treated as informed speculation until Google officially confirms the existence of a web app for Android Messages.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Topics

Mobile

Google I/O 2025: Everything you need to know

Google IO 2025 officially kicks off today, and begins with an opening keynote at 10am PT / 1pm ET.

For those of you eager to tune in, we've got all the information on how to watch the Google IO 2025 keynote - but we'll also be rounding up everything Google announces after the event here.

Mobile

You’ll soon be able to see more text in Google Messages

The Google Messages app on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

If you've been lamenting the relatively limited size of the Google Messages text box, good news: it can now get bigger than just four lines. Last month, Google Messages redesigned its compose field — the area where you write your message — but a lot of fans took issue with the fact it could only display four lines of text at once. This was a particular pain point if you had to share a long URL that took up the majority of the field.

Now, though, things are changing. In the latest version of the Google Messages beta, the text field can expand up to 14 lines before you need to scroll to see what you've typed. It's not yet available in the stable release but should be soon.

Mobile

Google Messages might finally fix this frequent annoyance

The Google Messages app on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Though most text messages you typically send might be just a few words long, occasionally you need to draft out a longer message -- and that can be annoying on an Android device. Google Messages has an infamously small compose box, which has been a source of annoyance for many users. Now, though, that looks set to change, with a new feature spotted in the latest beta version of the Messages app of an expandable compose box.

The change was spotted in an APK teardown of the latest Android beta by Android Authority, which suggests that a change to the way the Google Messages app functions is in the works. Getting at the new compose box took some "tinkering," according to the site, but they were able to unlock a version of the compose box which can be expanded to 12 lines of text rather than the currently available four lines.