Google has today announced a host of new features for its Messages app in its bid to present it as a viable iMessage equivalent for Android. The new features arriving in the Messages app such as reactions and sticker suggestions are, however, only available for devices on which RCS chat is enabled.

Taking about the new features, the first one is reactions. As the name suggests, you can react to a message by choosing from a set of animated reactions rather than typing a response. To send a reaction, just long press on a message and tap on the appropriate reaction.

The second new feature coming to Messages is sticker suggestions, which works in tandem with the Smart Reply feature, provided you have enabled it. Now, when you receive a message, sticker suggestions will automatically appear alongside the text-based suggestions.

Also, when users click an image with the in-app camera interface, they’ll now see an edit button that will allow them to add text or scribble on it with a variety of brushes. Plus, if you want to give your messages a more personal touch, you’ll now be able to send an audio response by just holding the new microphone button sitting in the compose bar.

Source: Google Blog