Beeper’s all-in-one chat app now supports Google’s RCS messaging with a fairly new Google Messages bridge being integrated into the app. This update places Beeper’s Android integration in a much better place with a similar experience to Messenger, WhatsApp, and iMessage.
After updating to Beeper Desktop version 3.70.17, a new chat network appears under the Labs section, this of course being Google Messages.
Update: We can confirm Google Messages with RCS support was added in the latest version of Beeper Desktop. Beeper released an official announcement a few hours after this post went live. You can read it here.
Things to note
It is recommended to remove the original SMS integration used by Beeper to display texts on Android devices. As leaving both active will result in duplicate SMS messages.
Once Google Messages has been connected, depending on the number of RCS and SMS’ you have, it will take some time to sync. In my case, RCS only activated once the sync was complete. SMS was available during this time.
Current limitations
As the Google Messages bridge powering this integration is still relatively new, there are a few limitations to what it can do for now. These include:
- No button to start a phone call from the chat, like the SMS bridge previously had
- Profile pictures currently don’t display
- Past history doesn’t fully sync (some older contacts with RCS haven’t shown up in Beeper for me)
- Read receipts in group chats are not supported yet
- Typing indicators are not supported yet
- Google Messages (and RCS) doesn’t show as a contact option when starting a new chat
- Message type currently displays as a message rather than notification (Texting with X (SMS/MMS, RCS Chat with X)
Start group chats in Google Messages (SMS and RCS)
Setting up Beeper’s Google Messages RCS integration
Getting setup is straightforward, as it utilises Google Message’s device pair setting used to connect to computers
- Go to the Google Messages app on your phone, depending on your version, device pair can be found either in the hamburger menu in the search bar on the left of the screen, or by clicking on your profile picture on the right side.
- On the device pairing page, click the ‘QR code scanner’ button.
- Open Beeper, head to the Chat Networks setting page and follow the connection prompts. A QR code will appear on screen.
- Scan the QR code with your Android phone, give it a second or two, and Beeper is connected to Google Messages.
- Wait a few minutes while Beeper initiates a sync of all your messages. Once complete, RCS and SMS will work.
The Beeper Google Messages bridge
Heading to the Beeper’s GitHub page, a new link has been added, a Google Messages bridge. The bridge is run by the mautrix team and looks to be around two months old.
