Google develops Rich Communication Services messaging features for Voice app

Google appears to be preparing Rich Communication Services messaging for Google Voice. Clues discovered in version 2026.11.01.1014278023 of the Android application show early references to the protocol, marking the first time the long-running VoIP platform has shown concrete signs of adopting modern chat capabilities beyond legacy messaging. [2][3]

Code uncovered in the software points to an RCS send button alongside an RCS chat preference setting and related actions. However, the functionality is not yet live or available to users, and Google has not officially confirmed when or if the features will publicly roll out. [2]

Currently, Google Voice users remain restricted to standard SMS and MMS across all tiers. Bringing RCS to the service would close a noticeable feature gap, aligning Voice with platforms like Google Messages after years of broader industry adoption across Android and iOS devices. [2][3]