Android Messages for Web Starting to Roll Out

[DocSwag]

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/18/17475390/android-messages-text-from-web-feature

 

Finally, android users are getting a feature ios users have been enjoying for a long time. Assuming you use Google's messaging app, once you get the update you'll be able to connect your phone and any computer so that you can send SMS texts from your computer. I might even argue this works out a little better than imessage: imessage only works on Apple devices, whereas, because this is a website, I believe it should work on all your devices.

Quote

Google is beginning to roll out desktop browser support for Android Messages, allowing people to use their PC for sending messages and viewing those that have been received on their Android smartphone. Google says the feature is starting to go out to users today and continuing for the rest of the week. Text, images, and stickers are all supported on the web version.

 

To get started, the Android Messages website has you scan a QR code using the Android Messages mobile app, which creates a link between the two. That’s very similar to how the web client for Allo — remember Allo? — worked. Unfortunately, that section of the Messages app isn’t yet live. Hopefully it won’t be long before it shows up and you can start chatting across platforms.

Unfortunately, this is still SMS, so you don't get support for features other messaging apps have such as end to end encryption. Howeber, it's still really cool, though I'm still not 100% sure on how this is much better than pushbullet.

[themctipers]

who uses sms

especially if you have access to a desktop / internet access

[Princess Luna]

Funny thing is that the only use I have for my phone is for 2 step verification codes... What's App, Telegram and Skype all I use on my laptop/desktop.

 

I don't web browser on the phone either, only one the laptop/desktop... I rarely do or receive calls as at work it's all internet or when really needed I use the office's land line.

 

So yeah... phones are worthless to me... kinda pisses me off when people knowing I'm not tech savvy ask me stuff about phone apps and phones in general as I really don't care to them one bit... still rocking Windows strong to all my online life.

[GoodBytes]

Waiting for a proper OS integration like what Apple has and like what Windows 10 Mobile devices has with Windows 10.

 

It is silly that you need to open your web browser, go to some site, login, and wait there to view SMS or to send one.

Microsoft is working on one for the next Windows 10 update coming in a couple of month with Android (and maybe iPhones if a deal can be made between the 2 companies)... and goes further than that by allowing you access your phone content and notifications. Might as well just wait for that.

In addition, via the web method which Google offers, your SMS go through the internet, while via OS integration you don't. You use the wireless network or Bluetooth (depending on the implementation of the feature) instead. That is not to mention that doing all these steps to go online, takes more time than to just pick-up the phone, which is right next to you, and type your SMS or read one.

 

Google should have done a native desktop app for all OSs which actually integrates with ones Android phone, like what Microsoft is working on. And maybe Google could go even further as it is their mobile OS, so they can make new APIs to do what they want and not depended on someone else APIs which you have no control on. Shame they limited themselves to some basic webpage thing.

[Bananasplit_00]

Or, you can use something like Airdroid and get that + file transfers + some extra stuff all for free and working with pretty much every messaging app

[captain_to_fire]

And here's me hoping that Google now allows SMS syncing and backup to Google Drive just like what Apple has been doing for years since iOS 5 with iCloud.

[AskTJ]

Uses of my phone.

• 2 factor authenticators
• Camera
• Calls from parents

Pretty much all to it.

[paddy-stone]

Pushbullet has had this ability for a long time now, been using myself for when family/friends/colleagues don't like checking emails for some reason.

[The Benjamins]

They need to hurry up and bring this to all Project Fi users sooner, I am still using Hangout as my SMS app.

[DrMacintosh]

1 hour ago, DocSwag said:

I might even argue this works out a little better than imessage: imessage only works on Apple devices, whereas, because this is a website, I believe it should work on all your devices.

Oh really?

1 hour ago, DocSwag said:

Unfortunately, this is still SMS, so you don't get support for features other messaging apps have such as end to end encryption.

Ahhh, I see.....So it's not better than iMessage.....actually its pretty inconvenient and useless. 

[The Benjamins]

6 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Oh really?

Ahhh, I see.....So it's not better than iMessage.

Not really, Google is working on being a thing called Chat that has a lot of the features of other messaging APPs besides encryption due to legal reasons.

 

Chat is a SMS backend standard. (RCS)

 

https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/19/17252486/google-android-messages-chat-rcs-anil-sabharwal-imessage-texting

[suicidalfranco]

1 hour ago, GoodBytes said:

It is silly that you need to open your web browser, go to some site, login, and wait there to view SMS or to send one

Still better than to locked in one OS to do that:

"Oh, no MacOS? sorry, can't view the messages on your phone here"

"Oh, no Windows? sorry, can't view the messages on your phone here"

And just go:

"Hey, everyone has a browser right? here are all your messages. Enjoy!"

 

And much better than forcing us to download an electron app

[DrMacintosh]

5 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

Easy for you to say when iMessage also needs internet access to sync messages

Just like Android Messages, any old school SMS you get is stuck to the one phone unless you have internet

The difference is iMessage uses SMS as a fallback, this uses SMS as its primary way of sending messages.....

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

Except Android users also now use SMS as a fallback

Did you read the OP?

 

4 hours ago, DocSwag said:

Unfortunately, this is still SMS, so you don't get support for features other messaging apps have such as end to end encryption.

 

[dtaflorida]

How many apps does Google have for chat now? I've completely lost count. Did we move to another one already? I don't think I was on the one we were last using. Which one am I supposed to install today? Or should I wait it out for the next one?

[Commodus]

4 hours ago, Princess Cadence said:

Funny thing is that the only use I have for my phone is for 2 step verification codes... What's App, Telegram and Skype all I use on my laptop/desktop.

 

I don't web browser on the phone either, only one the laptop/desktop... I rarely do or receive calls as at work it's all internet or when really needed I use the office's land line.

 

So yeah... phones are worthless to me... kinda pisses me off when people knowing I'm not tech savvy ask me stuff about phone apps and phones in general as I really don't care to them one bit... still rocking Windows strong to all my online life.

 

4 hours ago, AskTJ said:

Uses of my phone.

• 2 factor authenticators
• Camera
• Calls from parents

Pretty much all to it.

Hey, congratulations, you two don't use your phone for much.  That doesn't make this news irrelevant for the vast majority of cellphone users who regularly send and receive text messages.  Please don't dump on a thread simply because you, personally, don't find much value in something that nearly every Android user with a PC might appreciate.

[DocSwag]

3 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Oh really?

Ahhh, I see.....So it's not better than iMessage.....actually its pretty inconvenient and useless. 

I'm saying it's better in compatibility regards. Not in all regards. It works on any device, mac or windows, whereas iMessage only works on macs.

 

I wouldn't say it's inconvenient and useless... Messages for web is quite useful as typing on a keyboard is easier IMO as well as a host of other reasons.

[Zodiark1593]

9 minutes ago, DocSwag said:

I'm saying it's better in compatibility regards. Not in all regards. It works on any device, mac or windows, whereas iMessage only works on macs.

 

I wouldn't say it's inconvenient and useless... Messages for web is quite useful as typing on a keyboard is easier IMO as well as a host of other reasons.

If this enables me to send SMS over wifi (where I don't have cell service), this would be quite useful.

 

Lots of people I know tend to message from different platforms (iMessage), so SMS is the only thing relatively universal without downloading several different messaging apps, or forcing my friends on iOS to download something else.

[Guest]

Pretty nice, I've always enjoyed iMessage (Which did used to be called Messages, but I'm sure thats just a placeholder for another name for Google). Nice news for free texts with MMS etc. One thing to note is you can use iMessage from the iCloud online, so it does work over your devices, but I hardly use it because I have my phone on me. Great news, hopefully FaceTime integration (Or Hangouts?) will be available for your computers as well so you can take your calls on any device and send free ones. Maybe it's already there. 

[Andreas Lilja]

Everyone I know uses Facebook Messenger instead.

[Aprime]

6 hours ago, themctipers said:

who uses sms

especially if you have access to a desktop / internet access

lol I do all the time

I've got 2GB of data and I pay for the number/SMS capabilities in the first place so why not

[themctipers]

1 minute ago, Aprime said:

lol I do all the time

I've got 2GB of data and I pay for the number/SMS capabilities in the first place so why not

I only SMS when I am outside with 1 bar of E saying please entertain me, hopefully this goes by, I know I don't talk to you but I only have a bar of edge

When near a computer that means I am probably in a place where I have wifi, or LTE, and if I do I can tether to myself and shitpost on discord

and when on my phone with 3g/lte, I can still shitpost on discord

 

nobody I talk to uses SMS, it's all iMessage or Discord

[DocSwag]

4 hours ago, Zodiark1593 said:

If this enables me to send SMS over wifi (where I don't have cell service), this would be quite useful.

 

Lots of people I know tend to message from different platforms (iMessage), so SMS is the only thing relatively universal without downloading several different messaging apps, or forcing my friends on iOS to download something else.

If your computer has an internet connection it'll work assuming your phone has a cellular connection. Texting purely over wifi is something RCS enables.

 

If you have the option Wifi calling also lets you send SMS over wifi. That's why I end up leaving it on.

[Zodiark1593]

37 minutes ago, DocSwag said:

If your computer has an internet connection it'll work assuming your phone has a cellular connection. Texting purely over wifi is something RCS enables.

 

If you have the option Wifi calling also lets you send SMS over wifi. That's why I end up leaving it on.

Only carrier phones on T-Mobile seem to work properly with wifi-calling (though might be a custom ROM thing), so I use Google Voice where cellular service isn't available 

[mr moose]

3 hours ago, gabrielcarvfer said:

 sometimes loses sent messages, or deliver them few days later. 

Sounds like when sms was just becoming a thing.   I had a dickhead boss who kept sending me sms messages first thing in the morning with lists of tools we needed for the job.  I kept telling him they weren't coming through or were coming through well after I had left. He didn't believe me, he just thought I was incompetent until one day in the afternoon my phone dinged and his message from the previous morning came through. He couldn't believe it. Moral of this story is: People are fucking dumb and new technology doesn't always help.