Your message app on Android is about to sound better and feel more secure.
According to PhoneArena, Google Messages is gearing up for improvements thanks to the RCS Universal Profile 3.1 update, rolled out by the GSMA on July 25, 2025. This upgrade isn’t just about sharper sound—it's also about making your messages harder to snoop on.
One of the headline features is support for the new xHE‑AAC audio codec, which delivers clearer, more natural-sounding voice and ambient audio clips. Whether you're recording a chat message or a short ambient clip for fun, listeners will notice the crisp playback and fewer digital “glitches”. The update also includes backend improvements to reduce dropped or delayed messages in areas with weak signal or poor coverage.
This comes on the heels of a major milestone from March 2025, when RCS version 3.0 introduced end‑to‑end encryption (E2EE) even for messages between Android and iPhone users, thanks to a new GSMA standard built on Messaging Layer Security; though it hadn’t been widely enabled yet. Now with v3.1, that ground laid by v3.0 is being strengthened as the ecosystem catches up.
In practice, these changes mean a few welcome benefits for everyday users:
While Google Messages will be first to get these upgrades, the RCS standard is shared across manufacturers and carriers—so eventually other messaging clients that support Universal Profile RCS should benefit too.
In everyday terms, here’s what it means: your voice messages don't just travel faster—they arrive clearer and safer too. No jargon or tech mumbo jumbo needed: you'll send sound clips that actually sound like your voice and worry less about someone else reading them.
Expect the rollout to be gradual as carriers and app updates bring RCS 3.1 across devices. But once it’s live on your phone, sending voice messages won’t feel like a downgrade anymore—it’ll feel like progress.
Source: PhoneArena
