As revealed by the tech headline "The Verge", Google is working on a new messaging service for Android, which should replace text messages and have functions similar to those of Apple's iMessage.
It is called "Chat" and is technically a service that adopts the new Rich Communications Services (RCS) standard. It will add features such as reading confirmation, the ability to see if the counterpart is writing at that time, high resolution images and videos, and group messaging; and it will work inside Android Messages, and will be part of the default apps built into the Android system. If the recipient is not on "Chat", the message sent will automatically be converted into a text message / mms.
In this way, therefore, Google wants to launch a competitive messaging system compared to iMessage, even if Chat, unlike Apple's service, will not offer end-to-end encryption of messages (from device to device, the strongest form of encryption in which only sender and recipient can encrypt and decrypt content).
Chat should be the successor in a series of Google solutions for messages that have not been very successful, like Allo. For now it would have the support of dozens of telephone operators and smartphone manufacturers.