The convergence of advanced AI and everyday communication tools is constantly evolving, and it appears Google is pushing further integration between its AI model, gemini, and its primary messaging app, Google Messages. For Android users, Gemini currently functions as a helpful digital assistant capable of composing and sending simple text messages directly through Google Messages. You can ask it to draft a quick note, a birthday wish, or even creative text formats like jokes or haikus, and it will route the message via SMS. However, a significant limitation has persisted: Gemini cannot handle multimedia messages. This means asking Gemini to generate an image and then send it to a contact through Messages is currently impossible; such attempts typically result in a blank URL being sent instead of the intended picture.
According to an in-depth analysis of code found within a recent beta version of the Google app (specifically v16.25.44), this text-only constraint for Gemini’s messaging capabilities might soon be lifted. These findings, uncovered through an APK teardown, suggest that Google is actively working on integrating Rich Communication Services (RCS) functionality into Gemini’s messaging interactions.
Unpacking the APK Teardown Discovery
An APK teardown involves examining the code within an Android application package (APK) file to uncover potential features that are under development but not yet publicly announced or released. While teardowns offer valuable insights into future possibilities, it’s crucial to remember that the features discovered are works-in-progress and may change or be abandoned entirely before a public rollout.
The critical discovery in the Google app v16.25.44 beta revolves around code snippets referencing RCS capabilities in relation to Gemini, internally known by the codename “robin.” These code elements specifically indicate that Gemini is being developed to fetch information about a device’s RCS support.
Code Hints at RCS Compatibility Checks
The presence of code designed to check for RCS capabilities is a strong signal that Google intends to enable Gemini to send messages using the more advanced RCS protocol. This check would allow Gemini to determine if both the sender’s device (through which Gemini is operating) and the recipient’s device support RCS.
If both parties have RCS enabled, Gemini could then potentially utilize the protocol to send messages that include multimedia elements like images. The code further suggests a fallback mechanism: if RCS is not available for a particular conversation, Gemini could revert to using standard SMS. While this fallback makes sense for text, enabling multimedia sending specifically points towards RCS being the target protocol for image support.
Why RCS is Key for Multimedia
RCS is designed to be a significant upgrade over traditional SMS (Short Message Service) and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). Often marketed as “Chat” features, RCS brings many capabilities commonly found in modern messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram directly to the native phone messaging experience. These include:
Read receipts
Typing indicators
Larger file size support
Higher quality media sharing
- Group chat enhancements
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For Gemini to effectively send multimedia like images through Google Messages, leveraging RCS is essential. SMS is strictly text-based, and while MMS technically supports media, it is an older, often unreliable standard known for aggressive media compression and size limits, leading to poor image quality. RCS, with its capacity for larger files and potentially higher fidelity, is the necessary foundation for a functional multimedia messaging integration with Gemini.
Addressing Image Quality: A Concurrent Improvement
Adding further weight to the significance of this potential RCS integration for Gemini is Google’s concurrent effort to address a long-standing issue with image quality in Google Messages itself. Another recent APK teardown, separate from the Gemini discovery, revealed code indicating plans to drastically increase the image size limits within the Google Messages app when using RCS.
Currently, Google Messages aggressively compresses images sent over RCS, often limiting sizes significantly (e.g., around 2048 pixels tall or even less with “Send photos faster” enabled). This results in a noticeable loss of quality compared to the original image. The discovered code suggests Google plans to increase the standard limit to a much larger 8192 x 8192 pixels with 100% JPEG quality, and even the “faster send” option would increase to 2048 pixels at 90% quality.
This impending improvement in Google Messages’ core RCS image handling is highly relevant to the Gemini integration. If Gemini gains the ability to send images via RCS, it would directly benefit from these increased limits and improved quality, allowing users to share pictures generated by the AI or other multimedia more clearly than would have been possible with the current limitations.
Gemini’s Expanding Role on Android
The potential for Gemini to send images via Google Messages over RCS fits into a larger pattern of Google integrating its AI capabilities more deeply into the core Android experience and its suite of applications. Gemini is increasingly designed to act as a central intelligent layer, interacting with various services and apps on your device.
Recent developments and other APK teardowns have hinted at further expansions of Gemini’s reach, including potential integrations with WhatsApp for sending/reading messages and potentially initiating calls, and even capabilities related to summarizing and categorizing Android system notifications. While the Google Messages extension was previously described as relatively simple (focused on sending/reading text), the discovery of RCS hooks specifically for Gemini suggests a planned enhancement to handle richer message types, directly aligning with the need for multimedia support.
These overlapping discoveries paint a picture of Google aiming for a more unified and powerful AI-driven communication experience on Android, where Gemini isn’t just an isolated chatbot but a seamless assistant capable of interacting with your messages and media across different platforms and formats.
What This Means for Users
For the average user, this potential feature means a more versatile and capable AI assistant. Imagine asking Gemini to “Generate a funny cat meme and send it to [Contact Name]” or “Find that photo from my recent trip and send it to [Contact Name]”. With RCS support, Gemini could potentially fulfill these requests directly within your chat conversations, eliminating the need to manually search, compose, and attach multimedia.
This could significantly streamline workflows and make interacting with your phone through voice or natural language even more powerful. It moves Gemini beyond being a pure text generator or information provider and turns it into an active participant in your multimedia communications.
Anticipating the Rollout
As with any feature found through APK teardowns, it is important to maintain realistic expectations. The presence of code indicates development is underway, but there is no official timeline, and the feature could be delayed, altered, or even canceled. Google has not made any public statements regarding Gemini gaining RCS multimedia capabilities.
However, given Google’s strong commitment to RCS and its ongoing efforts to enhance both Google Messages and the Gemini experience, the technical foundation appears to be laid for this integration. We will need to wait for official announcements or future app updates to confirm the feature’s eventual arrival and full capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the key limitation Gemini currently faces when sending messages through Google Messages?
Currently, Gemini on Android can only send messages via the standard SMS protocol when interacting with Google Messages. This limits its capabilities to text-only communication. It cannot send multimedia content like images or videos. If you ask Gemini to send an image through Messages, it typically sends a blank URL instead of the picture.
How was this potential new Gemini messaging feature discovered?
Information about Gemini potentially gaining the ability to send images via Google Messages leveraging RCS was discovered through an APK teardown of a beta version of the Google app (v16.25.44). Code within the app hinted at Gemini (“robin”) checking for device RCS capabilities, suggesting planned support for sending richer messages.
When might users be able to send images with Gemini via Google Messages?
This feature is currently only indicated by code found in an APK teardown, meaning it’s under development and not officially announced. There is no public release date or guarantee that the feature will be fully implemented and rolled out. Users should await official communication from Google regarding this potential functionality.
Conclusion
The discovery of code hinting at RCS support for Gemini within the Google app points towards an exciting potential future for AI-assisted messaging on Android. Enabling Gemini to send multimedia like images through Google Messages via RCS would be a substantial upgrade, removing a significant limitation and making the AI assistant a more powerful tool for daily communication. Combined with Google’s apparent efforts to improve RCS image quality in Google Messages itself, the stage seems set for a much richer messaging experience driven by Gemini. While we must wait for official confirmation, the signs suggest Google is indeed working to bring seamless multimedia messaging capabilities to Gemini users.
