Google Messages

Thousands of users turned to Downdetector to report problems with Google services, including error messages, missing search history, Maps failures and issues loading Drive. Reports spiked across the US and were followed by trending interest in Brazil and France. Users shared error codes like 1155 while awaiting confirmation of the cause and restoration of normal service.

Samsung-focused outlet SamMobile reports that some Galaxy phone users have been unable to send photos via RCS messages in Google Messages, with a fix now on the way. The issue has prompted discussion among Android users, as RCS is the default messaging standard between Android devices and photo sharing failures disrupt everyday conversations.

A new guide urges smartphone owners to review built-in anti-scam protections on their devices. It highlights security and spam-filtering settings available on Apple's iPhone, Google's Pixel and Samsung's Galaxy phones that can help block fraudulent calls, texts and phishing messages. With phone scams rising, the advice is that many users never enable these protections, leaving them exposed to fraud attempts.

Google is pushing back against Hollywood's wariness of new technology, arguing the entertainment industry should embrace innovation rather than resist it. The message, reported by The New York Times, comes amid ongoing tensions between tech companies and filmmakers over issues like artificial intelligence, streaming and digital rights. The exchange highlights a continuing standoff between Silicon Valley and the entertainment world over how emerging tools will reshape creative work.

A tech how-to guide explains how to search for anything on the three major smartphones: Apple's iPhone, Samsung's Galaxy line and Google's Pixel. It walks users through built-in search features on each device so they can quickly find apps, settings, messages and files. The piece is being picked up by multiple US radio and news outlets.

Google appears to be preparing a change to its Messages app that would remove the ability to switch off RCS chats on a per-conversation basis and fall back to SMS or MMS. If shipped, users would no longer be able to force a specific chat to use legacy messaging, which could be a problem for contacts on other platforms or areas with poor data coverage. Android users are debating whether the change simplifies messaging or reduces user control.

Google Messages may soon drop a small but useful setting that lets users prefer regular SMS over RCS chats. The possible removal means people who sometimes want plain text messages instead of the newer RCS standard could lose that choice. Android watchers are flagging the change, noting it affects those who occasionally prefer traditional texting.

Users connecting older Android phones to their cars through Android Auto are starting to receive a clear warning message, suggesting that support for those devices may soon end. Reports indicate the change is being rolled out gradually, prompting concern among drivers who rely on older handsets for in-car navigation, music and calls.

Google Messages could soon add a feature long associated with Apple's iMessage, according to a report from PhoneArena. The change would bring the two messaging apps closer together, and commentators suggest iPhone users may be unhappy to see Apple lose one of its distinctive advantages in texting.

Google Cloud is refocusing its modernization efforts around business outcomes rather than purely technical upgrades, according to Cloud Wars. The shift frames cloud migration and application modernization as tools for delivering measurable commercial value, a message aimed at enterprise customers weighing large-scale IT investments.

Cybersecurity analysts are warning about a phishing site hosted on Google Sites that imitates a virtual banking page, apparently targeting Spanish-speaking users. The link was shared in defanged form alongside a scan link so others can inspect its infrastructure. Experts caution that attackers frequently abuse legitimate hosting services like Google Sites to lend credibility to credential-stealing pages, and advise users to verify bank URLs directly rather than through emailed or messaged links.