Google follows WhatsApp; introduces Android web messenger service with two additional features

On Tuesday, Google began rolling out a desktop browser support for Android messages, allowing people to use their PC to send texts and viewing those that they have received on their smartphone.

Google says the feature is starting to go out to users today and continuing for the rest of the week. Text, images, and stickers are all supported on the web version. To check the version, Android users can check this link. 

To get started, the Android Messages website has you scan a QR code using the Android Messages mobile app, which creates a link between the two. This is similar to WhatsApp web's login method.

How different is it from WhatsApp web? For starters, it has a smart reply feature. "Smart Reply saves you time when you’re messaging on the go by suggesting quick text or emoji responses to your messages. Once you’ve tapped a Smart Reply suggestion, it sends immediately. Smart Replies will be available in English for now, and come to more languages over time," Google said in a blog.

Furthermore, you also have the ability to receive One-Time passwords on this app. "Now, when you receive a message with a one-time password or code from a secure site —such as your bank—that you’re logging into, you can save time by copying that password directly from the message with a tap," the blog added.

Will it overtake the popularity of WhatsApp web? It's a tough ask, given WhatsApp's popularity in India, but with these two additional features, people may be tempted to use the desktop version of Google's messaging service.