When Google moved Android Pay to Google Pay, it was a clear sign that Google wanted to keep its own offerings separate from Android. There have been other subtle changes, too – Android Messages became Messages. Android Wear became Wear OS. During the Made by Google keynote earlier this year, Google staff didn’t say the word Android even once.
For whatever reason, Android is a term that Google no longer wants to use as much. Now, we’re about to see another change.
Android Messages lets you manage SMS and MMS on your phone from the web, through a simple URL “messages.android.com“.
However, it seems that will soon change to messages.google.com, according to changes in Chromium’s source code management system:
At the moment, that URL doesn’t exist, but undoubtedly it will soon. It’s also likely that the previous URL will continue to work for a little while as users are advised of and become used to the change.
Given Google will dump Android within a couple of years in favour of Fuscia ( whatever it ends up being called )… Google moving anything of value for them away from “android” branding is only natural.
Quote: “For whatever reason, Android is a term that Google no longer wants to use as much.” The reason: To attract iPhone users, who somewhat mistakenly believe that anything ‘Android’ won’t be very compatible with iPhone. But everyone uses Google. Google’s new RCS messages is unlikely to excite users of any platform, because it is not encrypted, thus prone to eavesdropping. And Google Duo isn’t doing well with iPhone users because it demands they let Google Hoover up all their contacts. You can’t just add the contacts you want to call on Duo. So it has scared off the iPhone… Read more »