With the release of iOS 17, group chats between Android and iOS users will improve, but it looks like only for iPhone owners

Among other things, it looks like iOS 17 may bring changes to messaging between iOS and Android users. Users over at XDA Developers have spotted some new messaging options in the iOS 17 developer beta - for example, iOS users will retain some of the benefits of iMessage chats even in mixed company.

Here's What We Know

Currently, group chats between Android and iOS users take us back to the era of green bubbles and the outdated SMS/MMS protocol, which limits the quality of shared images and videos, and lacks iMessage features like the ability to edit sent messages. iPhone owners do not get all the features they enjoy in iOS-only chats. Android users get accusations of mood deterioration, which is frustrating for everyone involved. However, there is hope for changes in iOS 17.

According to XDA, after installing the iOS beta, users have been able to edit their green messages in group chats. Images and videos are now provided in a higher resolution, as is the case in iMessage. In addition, they can also merge replies. However, there is one drawback: these changes are only visible to other iPhone users. Android users still get low-quality images and videos, can't see text editing, and replies in chains just show up as normal messages along with the rest of the conversation.

At least for now, that's how it works. However, all this may change in the final version of the system. There is a good chance that Apple will add some features that will allow you to send edited text messages as separate replies and mark them as such. It's also possible that Apple will abandon this approach entirely before any of this appears in the full release of iOS 17 in the autumn, so take this with a grain of salt.

Source: The Verge