Google Messages, a widely used application for SMS and RCS messaging, is potentially adding a long-requested feature – the ability to edit messages after they’ve been sent.
Greater Flexibility and Convenience
The feature would provide users with greater flexibility and eliminate the frustration of having to delete and resend messages due to typos or other errors.
Hidden Feature Discovery
The possible addition of the message editing feature in Google Messages was discovered by Twitter user AssembleDebug (via TheSpAndroid), who found evidence of the feature hidden within the beta version of Google Messages.
Although the feature is not yet publicly available, its presence in the beta suggests that Google is certainly actively developing it behind the scenes.
30-Minute Window for Edits
AssembleDebug’s report says that users may have a 30-minute window to make edits to sent messages. Additionally, it appears that Google Messages would maintain a transparent edit history, allowing users to view any changes made.
The editing process is expected to be simple: long-pressing the message would reveal a new pencil icon, which opens an editing field. However, the report indicates that other users must also have the feature enabled for edits to work correctly; otherwise, they won’t see the edited messages properly.
Initial Testing Observations
During testing with an RCS chat, users didn’t observe any editing changes on their end, but other recipients received the edited message as separate messages. This discrepancy is said to be because the feature is not enabled for them.
Also, initially, the edit feature may only apply to RCS messages, not standard SMS. Although there’s no official release date for this feature, its potential inclusion speaks to Google’s ongoing efforts to improve the functionality and user experience of Google Messages.
