❤ Google Messages new features

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How Google Messages will let you edit recent sends

While we wait for a slew of existing features to roll out, Google Messages is working on the ability to edit what you’ve recently sent.

It’s a staple of modern messaging services at this point. Long-press on a message you sent and a new “Edit” pencil icon — as shown by AssembleDebug — will appear in the toolbar at the top next to copy, delete, star, and overflow. Editing is available to messages sent in the last 30 minutes.

This will place that message in the compose field for you to edit, with a checkmark in place of the send button.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strings in the latest beta today (version 20240213_01_RC00) indicate that Google will note the “Original message” in addition to what it was “Edited to”:

  • <string name=”edited_message_title”>”Edited to: “</string>
  • <string name=”original_message_title”>”Original message: “</string>

From what was enabled by AssembleDebug today, something you’ve edited is sent as a new message for those that don’t have the feature active. What could be happening behind-the-scenes is that the receiving Google Messages client is more or less interpreting that edit and seamlessly displaying it to the recipient. This would be similar to how emoji reactions work today with the iPhone.

Meanwhile, this beta also reveals that the double tap gesture will also work to remove a reaction.

  • <string name=”double_tap_to_remove_reacton_label”>Remove %s reaction</string>

Google Messages might be switching to double tap to react

 

 

 

 

Following the wide rollout of Photomoji a few weeks ago, Google Messages is readying a small change wherein you double tap to react.

About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.

Now, you long-press on a text or chat to get the tray of emoji and Photomoji options. The latest Google Messages beta (version 20240208_00_RC00) adds a promo string detailing how  double_tap_to_react is coming. This change is not yet live.

It remains to be seen whether you still press and hold to access copy, delete, star, share, forward, and view details from the top toolbar. Divorcing how you react in Google Messages and that menu makes some sense. That said, I’m not sure there will be much of a time savings.

Meanwhile, this beta release renames various Bard strings to Gemini now that the rebrand is live. It would suggest Google is proceeding with this one-to-one chatbot inside Messages.

  • Old: <string name=”penpal_conversation_name”>Bard</string>
  • New: <string name=”penpal_conversation_name”>Gemini</string>

Google Messages rolls out text field redesign with shortcuts bar [U]

 

 

 

 

2023 Google Messages is rolling out a redesign of the compose text field that features a dedicated shortcuts bar.

Update 1/30: Over the past few days, this redesign has widely rolled out to the stable channel (version 20240116_01_RC04).

Update 1/27/24: The redesigned RCS and Text message field is starting to appear for those not enrolled in the Google Messages beta.

Compared to the other features announced in late November, Google never detailed this change. At the start of this month, Photomoji and Magic Compose exited beta. (Animated emoji is also widely available.) Other capabilities like Custom Bubbles, Voice Moods with a redesigned recorder, and Profiles are not widely available yet.

Despite the standalone button, the redesigned voice recorder with Voice Moods is not yet rolled out for most users. The same can be said of Custom Bubbles and Profiles.

Original 12/2: Historically, the RCS/Text message field takes up the right two-thirds of your screen and expands to hide the “plus,” gallery, and Magic Compose buttons as you enter more text. At the other end, you get emoji and voice memo shortcuts.

I don’t like it. I like the text box more to the right with the icons on the left. I don’t have this change yet and I’m not looking forward to to. Also, the voice recording button doesn’t work for me and if I tap it then the other buttons on the left like emoji and add picture stop working. It took me a while to figure out that’s why the other buttons weren’t working. I have to close and reopen the keyboard to fix it.

Google Messages is now switching to a left-aligned text field with an emoji button up first. You then get Magic Compose, gallery (which has a new icon), and the plus, which is now on the opposite end. The voice recorder, which is getting thoroughly revamped with Moods, is now its own separate button outside the pill.

As some have pointed out, it’s somewhat odd that the text field is aligned to the left when the messages you send continue to appear at the right.

Meanwhile, when you start typing, there’s a new UI that’s split into two lines. The text field is at the top, while a bar keeps all the shortcuts on the same strip. This makes for a slightly more complex/heavy interface that might take some time to adjust to.

Some users in the Google Messages beta are already seeing this text field redesign with the dedicated bar, but it is not yet widely rolled out, which is also the case with the other functionality Google announced last November 2023.