- Google Messages encryption will be launched for beta users this month.
- After the beta test is complete, the security log will be made available to all messaging users for the next year.
- End-to-end encryption only applies if you are using Message Chat and the person (s) you are chatting with is also.
Google today announced an update to introduce Rich Communication Services (RCS) to its official news app. The RCS support that Google markets as Chat is now available worldwide to anyone who uses the app. This means you can access RCS functions regardless of your phone or cellular provider. The only requirement is that the person (s) you are communicating with must also be chatting in Messages.
In addition to this news, the company announced that a beta rollout of Google Messages encryption is in preparation. This enables end-to-end encryption of all communications for message users. Encrypted conversations make messages a viable chat alternative for users who refuse to leave WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, or any other encrypted chat app.
Google Messages Encryption: How, Why, and When?
To access end-to-end encryption in messages when it is introduced in the beta version, you must meet certain criteria:
- You and the person you communicate with must be beta testers. Instructions can be found here.
- You and your chat partner must be using the beta version of Messages for Android.
- You must have activated both chat functions.
Google wouldn’t commit itself to any specific schedule as to when Google Messages encryption would land for beta testers. All it would say is that it will start this month, shortly before December 1st, 2020.
Connected: How does the encryption work?
Expected to be a beta testing phase lasting at least a few months, and then a slow roll-out of the encryption features for non-beta users. This can take a few months to a year.
Once end-to-end encryption is enabled and active for everyone, you will still need to chat with other people using messages with chat features enabled. This makes things a little tricky when communicating with people who are using another app or people who are using iPhones. Hence, it is unlikely that messages will ever be equated with cross-platform encrypted chat apps like Telegram.
However, encrypting Google Messages is good news for everyone as it makes millions of users more secure. Hopefully Google doesn’t keep us all waiting too long!
