The new Google Messages function allows the use of @ tags (mentions), similar to social networks, which allows users to directly tag a person and ensure that they receive a notification.
Users can now simply type “@name” inside a message and tag one or more participants in the group. The system then sends a special notification to the marked people, which increases the chance that the message will be noticed.
Google Messages @ tags are finally coming to RCS chats
This feature works within the RCS standard, which means that all participants in the group must have RCS turned on for the option to be available.
Additionally, Google is introducing the ability to change the contact’s displayed name in the box mention system, so users can control how their contacts are visible to others in the group.
In addition to @ tags, Google introduced several other useful features during March.
One of them is Trash folder, a kind of “basket” in which deleted messages remain for up to 30 days before being permanently deleted. This practically works as a safety measure for accidentally deleted conversations.
Also, the application now allows real-time location sharing directly within the chat, without the need to switch to Google Maps.
With these improvements, Google Messages looks more and more like modern communication platforms like Slack or WhatsApp, but with deep integration with the Android system.
The biggest gain is definitely @ tags. A simple but extremely effective function that solves the chaos in group conversations and makes communication more direct and efficient, writes Android Central.