Android users are now able to see text reactions from iPhones as emojis, instead of the headache of repeated messages.
In the past, if an iPhone user reacted to a text message in a chat with Android users, people with Android phones would see the full message sent again with a descriptor of the reaction in front of it.
In group chats with multiple iPhone users, this would cause multiple messages to spam Android users' chats.
Starting on Feb. 1, Android users who are signed up for the beta of Google's "Messages" app will now see the appropriate emoji attached to the message, similar to how it would appear on an iPhone.
To sign up for the beta, Android users need to download Google's Messages app if they don't already have it and sign up for the beta, which can be done at the app's page on the Play Store.
Once enabled, the app will update. Users can then open the app's settings, click "Advanced" and make sure "Show iPhone reactions as emoji" is turned on.
In 2020, Android phones began to gain the ability to react to messages between each other as new RSC texting rolled out to replace SMS and MMS texting.
However, because Apple has yet to add the messaging technology to their own phones, the two platforms have had difficulty communicating with each other.
