Google to Shift Android Messages Web App From Android.com to Google.com: Report

In a blow to the Android brand, Google is planning to shift its Messages Web app - which allows users to manage SMS/ MMS messages on their phone from another device - from Android.com to Google.com, a media report said, citing changes to Chrome OS.

The move is seen as Google's plan to minimise the use of the word "Android", 9to5google.com reported on Wednesday.

The Android Messages Web app has long been hosted at the URL "messages.android.com."

But in the coming weeks, the service could be shifted to "messages.google.com", the report said, citing a change to Chrome OS code seen on the Chromium Gerrit.

Currently, the messages.google.com URL doesn't exist. The changes are expected to be made only in Chrome OS v72 or v73. The code spotted by the report is essentially instructions to tell Chrome OS devices to use the new URL when using 'Better Together' features.

It is not yet clear when the change will come into effect, but Google may temporarily use both the URLs for to make the transition to messages.google.com smoother.

Notably, Google introduced a Web client for its Android Messages app only in June this year, after long anticipation. Text, images, and stickers are all supported on the Web client. The rollout was perceived as one of the first steps towards Google's 'Chat' plans to bring RCS to its Android Messages platform to help it compete on a more even footing with iMessage.

Written with inputs from IANS