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Tag: messages

  • WhatsApp starts rolling out polling feature to early adopters

    WhatsApp starts rolling out polling feature to early adopters

    WhatsApp’s poll sharing feature is one step closer to being released to the public. Still in beta, the ability to share polls in channels have been sighted less than a week ago in the beta version of WhatsApp for Android.

    Over the weekend, WaBetaInfo reports that WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.1.10.76 update, which is now available on the TestFlight app, offers early adopters the option to share polls in channels.

    Obviously, you must be the owner of the channel in order to be able to share polls. The new feature has multiple options, which can be disable in case the creator of the poll believes it only needs one answer.

    The votes remain anonymous, so while members of the channel will be able to see the number of votes, they won’t know who voted for a certain option. A limited number of channel owners can now see the poll option in the chat attachment menu within their channel.

    Although it’s expected for the feature to expand to more early adopters, it might take some time before WhatsApp decides to make it available to everyone. Still, it’s nice to know that Channels will be getting a very useful feature for those who want to grow their audience based on the feedback received.

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  • Google Messages begins to roll out a redesigned split-level text field with shortcuts

    Google Messages begins to roll out a redesigned split-level text field with shortcuts

    In addition to the many new features coming to Google Messages soon in honor of RCS surpassing one billion monthly active users, the app is also preparing to unveil an update to its text field, introducing a dedicated shortcuts bar and a left-aligned layout.

    Previously, the RCS/text message field occupied the right two-thirds of the screen, with key functions like “plus,” gallery, and Magic Compose disappearing as you typed. Emoji and voice memo shortcuts resided on the opposite end, creating a scattered and sometimes frustrating user experience.

    this changes with the new layout which has the the interface cleverly splitting into two distinct lines as you start typing. The text field now takes a bold left-aligned stance, mirroring the flow of conversation. This shift is accompanied by a dedicated shortcuts bar that keeps “plus,” Magic Compose, the gallery, and the voice recorder readily accessible, regardless of text input.

    The voice recorder feature is also no longer relegated to the sidelines, as it now gets its own button, possibly in preparation for its integation with the Moods feature announced last week. The new split-level interface, with the text field on top and the shortcuts bar below, might come across as jarring at first, but I believe will be beneficial as more features are added and more real estate may be needed for additional shortcuts.

    Some early adopters in the Google Messages beta program already see this text field transformation, though wider availability is yet to come. However, with Google actively rolling out the update alongside other noteworthy features announced earlier this week, it’s safe to say Google is putting all their weight behind making Google Messages a highly competitive messaging app and not afraid to roll out these changes more widely.

  • WhatsApp now lets iOS users share media in original quality

    WhatsApp now lets iOS users share media in original quality

    WhatsApp isn’t known for the quality of media files people share between them, in fact, the opposite. Although an update rolled out last summer added the option to share videos and photos in HD format, WhatsApp users still can’t send media files in the original quality.

    However, that’s about to change, as the app is now getting a new update that allows WhatsApp users to send media files like photos and videos in original quality.

    For now, the update is only making its way to iOS users, so if you’re using an iPhone, you should be looking for WhatsApp version 23.24.73. The new stable build was spotted by WABetaInfo, which also posted the official changelog.

    Apart from the ability to share original quality media as a file, the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS introduces a couple of other new features. For example, WhatsApp users can now start voice chats without ringing in large groups.

    Also, developers have added new bubbles in chat to help users see missed ongoing and completed calls. Finally, WhatsApp users on iOS can now quickly react to a Status using their avatar by tapping “Reply” and selecting one of the 6 available avatar reactions.

    As per WhatsApp’s changelog, these features will be rolled out over the coming weeks, so if you don’t see one or more of these changes, you’ll have to wait a bit longer.

    Keep in mind that in order to send original quality media as file, you’ll have to tap “+” in chat, click Document, and then “Choose Photo or Video” to get started.

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  • WhatsApp adds new secret code feature to help protect chats

    WhatsApp adds new secret code feature to help protect chats

    WhatsApp has just announced a small, yet important update that further improves the app’s privacy and security aspects. Secret code is a new feature that allows users to secure locked chats and add an extra layer of security.

    Thanks to the new feature, WhatsApp users can now set a unique password different from what they use to unlock their phones to protect locked chats. In addition, the new feature introduces the ability to hide the Locked Chats folder from the chatlist, which means that they can only be discovered by typing the secret code in the search bar.

    This is an optional feature, so you can still choose to have all your locked chats (or some of them) still appear in the chatlist. Another nifty quality-of-life change is the way you can lock chats after the update.

    Previously, in order to lock a chat, you had to visit the chat’s settings. However, with the latest version of WhatsApp, you can simply long press to lock a chat, no need for extra taps.

    According to WhatsApp, the new secret code feature is already rolling out, but it will take months to be available globally, so be patient if you don’t see it on your phone yet.

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  • Google Messages could soon feature end-to-end encryption for cross-platform messaging

    Google Messages could soon feature end-to-end encryption for cross-platform messaging

    Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the messaging platform available on the Messages by Google app for Android. Similar to Apple’s iMessage, RCS runs off data connectivity, not cellular connectivity. This allows it to send and receive huge messages, share higher-quality images and videos, deliver read receipts and typing indicators, and offer end-to-end encryption.

    But like a chat made up of iMessage users that loses all of its great features when an Android user dares to join the group, the same thing happens when an iPhone user joins a chat session made up of RCS users. One of the features that both RCS and iMessage users lose when someone from a rival platform joins a group chat is the aforementioned end-to-end encryption.

    As Google said in a blog post it published on Wednesday, “This is why Google is strongly supportive of regulatory efforts that require interoperability for large end-to-end messaging platforms.”
    Google writes, “For interoperability to succeed in practice, however, regulations must be combined with open, industry-vetted, standards, particularly in the area of privacy, security, and end-to-end encryption.” And this makes sense. Otherwise, you’ll have a situation where end-to-end encryption would be a mess. “Group messages would have to be encrypted and delivered multiple times to cater for every different protocol,” the company says.

    As a result, Google announced that it is supporting Messaging Layer Security (MLS) which would allow end-to-end encryption to remain in effect between two large messaging platforms like iMessage and RCS. MLS is a protocol developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and now enables “practical interoperability across services and platforms, scaling to groups of thousands of multi-device users.”

    Google plans on integrating MLS into Google Messages. The goal is to have users of the Google Messages app enjoy secure group chats with all members of a group chat regardless of the messaging app they are using.
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  • Google tests badge for Messages that quickly points out RCS chats

    Google tests badge for Messages that quickly points out RCS chats

    Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the platform that Google offers Android users in its Messages by Google app. Similar to iMessage in iOS, RCS uses your phone’s data connection and Wi-Fi instead of the cellular connection used for SMS/MMS messaging. With RCS, users can type messages with as many as 8,000 characters as opposed to 160 for SMS. RCS also offers end-to-end encryption, read receipts, typing indicators, high-quality images and video, and text inside blue bubbles.

    Yup, RCS is very much like iMessage. So much so in fact, that if an iOS user were to infiltrate a group chat held by Android users, all of these features would disappear and everyone’s texts would be inside green bubbles-just like with iMessage when an Android user joins a previously all iOS chat.

    Google has added a new feature that now shows you from the Messages home screen in Android which of your conversations are eligible to use the RCS platform. Previously, you could figure this out by opening a conversation and looking at the text field at the bottom of the screen. If the conversation was with someone using an Android phone and RCS, you would see the words “RCS message.” If you were texting an iOS user or an Android user using a non-RCS messaging app, you’d see the words “Text message.”
    With the new feature, which shows up in the latest beta release to Google Messages (version 20230615_02_RC00), a badge that looks like the Google Messages icon appears on the bottom right of the avatars on individual and group conversations that will use the RCS platform when you tap to reopen them. Nothing shows up on the avatars that belong to those conversations on your Messages home screen that were conducted using SMS/MMS instead of RCS. The RCS badges have appeared on my Pixel 6 Pro running Android 14 Beta 3.1.
    If you don’t have the Messages by Google app on your Android phone, tap on this link to install it from the Google Play Store. To see which version of Google Messages your Android phone is running, go to Settings > Apps > See all xxx apps and scroll down until you see the Messages app. Tap on it and scroll to the very bottom and you’ll see which version of the app you have.
    Since this feature is on the beta version of Google Messages, it should be available to all Android users running the Messages by Google app soon.
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  • Google Chat may receive design updates and Mobile App redesign

    Google Chat may receive design updates and Mobile App redesign

    In recent years, group chats have seen a significant surge in demand, especially with the rise of remote work in specific industries. Communication software like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Chanty, and Google Chat have become go-to platforms, making any news regarding their updates worth paying attention to.

    It appears that Google Chat may be gearing up for some design updates, including a fresh logo and a redesigned mobile app, to improve conversation management.

    The tech giant recently showcased a four-color icon when discussing Google Chat. Google clarified that this was a concept for the future of Google Chat. Currently, the logo consists of overlapping speech bubbles, reminiscent of Google Chat’s predecessor, Hangouts.

    The proposed new logo aligns more closely with other Google features, following the same four-color scheme and graphic layout in the style of Gmail, Drive, Meet, Maps, and more. The new logo looks like a chat bubble with a slight drop-off in the right corner—simple and quite similar to the Google Calendar’s logo, which for some might be a bit confusing, especially when in a hurry.

    9to5Google also suggests the possibility of a redesign for the Google Chat mobile app. Right now, the app includes a bottom bar with two tabs: Chat and Spaces. “Chat” encompasses both one-on-one and group conversations, while “Spaces” are designed for larger teams, similar to other popular communication software solutions.

    The redesigned version may introduce top tabs on the app’s main screen. The “Timeline” tab is expected to comprehensively view all conversations, including chats and spaces. Users may be able to categorize their conversations by labels such as All, Unread, Pinned, DMs, and Spaces.

    Another tab could show conversations where you are mentioned directly, which may be a lot easier in terms of managing your conversations.

    With potential improvements in the form of a new logo and enhanced functionality, Google Chat may be aiming at becoming a more competitive app among the many others out there.

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  • The tabs used to filter conversations in Google Messages have vanished

    The tabs used to filter conversations in Google Messages have vanished

    Underneath the search bar at the top of the Google Messages UI on Android used to be organizational category tabs that would allow users to run through chats and messages from “All,” “Personal,” and “Business.” This was a quick way to view only those messages that you wanted to see at a given time. Selecting “All” would show, well, all of the conversations you had in your messages conversation list while Personal and Business are pretty self-explanatory.

    This feature first surfaced in 2021 in India and Google said that it was to “roll out first to English users around the globe.” Now, the organizational category tabs are gone for many Messages users. They have vanished from the Google Messages UI as though they were deleted by the Magic Eraser. One interesting note though; 9to5Google said that all of the Pixel models it saw missing the feature were running Beta versions of Android and we don’t know if they meant the Android 14 Beta or the QPR3 Beta.

    Personally, my Pixel 6 Pro also does not show the category tabs anymore and my phone is running Android 13 QPR3 Beta 3. Is this the end of the organizational category tabs or is this a bug? Google is usually pretty good at telling users when it is removing a specific feature and why it is being removed. Still, it is possible that the tabs were not being employed that often by users and Google just felt it was better off to remove them.

    We should make it clear that not all Android users who favor using the Google Messages app are missing the organizational category tabs and Android users employing their carrier’s third-party messaging apps (like Verizon Messages, T-Mobile Messages, or AT&T Messages) wouldn’t be impacted at all. But most Android users know that RCS (Rich Communication Service), available with the Google Messages app, helps to deliver a better Android messaging experience.
    If you don’t have the Google Messages app (ahem, more precisely Messages by Google app) on your Android phone, feel free to tap on this link and install it from the Play Store.
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  • WhatsApp may soon allow you to lock specific chats

    WhatsApp may soon allow you to lock specific chats

    It seems like ages ago when WhatsApp faced intense criticism about its lack of security features. That, however, isn’t something that can be said in today’s reality, where WhatsApp is one of the most feature-rich messaging apps on the market.

    While end-to-end encryption and sweet features such as spam prevention are awesome, there are always ways to step up the game further. So how about the ability to lock specific chats? Options like this are highly coveted, especially to those of us who use their phones for work.

    Well, WABetaInfo — the blog dedicated to uncovering the hidden features of the WhatsApp beta program — has managed to unearth exactly this type of feature. It seems to be still in development, but traces of it are found in the WhatsApp beta release for Android, version 2.23.8.2.

    The feature is seemingly designed to enhance user privacy, allowing users to lock individual and specific chats with a passcode or on-device biometrics. When locked, chats won’t display previews and any media on them won’t be automatically downloaded.

    After a locked chat has been set up, only persons, who are able to verify through the chosen security measure, can gain access to their contents. Chats of this type will be kept in a separate category too, for an extra bit of clarity.

    Naturally, this doesn’t mean that such a choice will impact all WhatsApp conversations. Users can enable the feature on a by-chat basis, ensuring that only those chats containing sensitive information remain behind an extra security layer.

    As of now, we have no word on when this feature will be rolled out officially by WhatsApp, but it appears to be in development at the moment. If you are interested in being among the first users to try it out, then make sure to sign up for the WhatsApp beta program.

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  • WhatsApp’s upcoming update will help you combat unwanted spam

    WhatsApp’s upcoming update will help you combat unwanted spam

    At this point, is it any wonder that WhatsApp is one of the first-choice IM (instant messaging) apps out there? It is available on both Android and iOS, it has end-to-end encryption for extra security and — most notably — it is constantly getting updated with new features.

    But people don’t just use WhatsApp for themselves — numerous businesses opt to have a WhatSapp communication channel open, so that customers can get in touch more easily. While that sounds awesome, it also means that their info is public, and as such, not every caller is a customer, per say.

    Luckily, WhatsApp realizes the value of this utilization of its app, and as such is reportedly working on a feature to help users handle spam calls more effectively. This information comes courtesy of WABetaInfo and it describes how one toggle can take care of all of this spam-related hassle.

    The WABetaInfo team has managed to uncover development traces of this new feature through the latest release of the WhatsApp beta program on Android. By the looks of things, this is intended to function as follows: users can mute calls from unknown callers. Simple as that!

    That, however, wouldn’t be helpful for businesses. As such, WhatsApp will still let users keep a record on who has called, just in case there is ever a need to call back. Said records will be kept in the Call List and Notification Center, just as with any other call.

    Right now, the feature is still under development, so we don’t really have a release date for this one. But by the sound of things, it will be worth the wait, as it will not only help alleviate the stress of spam calls, but also help with combating scammers and trolls.

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  • Google Messages’ new icon now appearing for more users in the notification tray

    Google Messages’ new icon now appearing for more users in the notification tray

    The Google Messages icon was updated to a fresh look late last year; however, for most users, the notification icon for the app didn’t quite follow the same design change. This now changing as the notification icon has been changing widely for more users to reflect the new style.

    The reports of the new icon making its rounds initially came from the Google Pixel subreddit where users started noticing the change overnight. It turns out that a subset of Pixel 6 and 7 series users were experiencing an issue where the old Messages icon would appear in the notification tray and on the lock screen, even after the actual app icon had changed.

    The new Google Messages design adopted the same style as the Phone and Contacts app, featuring two overlapping rounded speech bubbles. This was in contrast to the old rectangular briefcase design that felt very outdated.

    The new design was announced as part of the #GetTheMessage campaign Google started to bring awareness to the benefits of using RCS instead of SMS and to encourage Apple to add RCS to its Messages app, complementing iMessage. On top of that, Google also announced a slew of updates to the app that would enrich the experience for RCS users that receive messages from iMessage users, particularly those involving message reactions. Unfortunately, this campaign has had little to no success in changing Apple’s mind.
    As far as the bug where the iconography is inconsistent between the app icon and the notification tray, it thankfully appears to be suddenly resolved with what appears to be an app or server-side update. This isn’t a huge deal as it doesn’t affect functionality, but for those who prefer a more cohesive experience, it was a bit of an eye sore.
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  • Whatsapp has new feature to undo send messages

    Whatsapp has new feature to undo send messages

    For many phone owners, the person they message the most is themselves. No, it has nothing to do with egotistical behavior and has everything to do with using common sense. Sometimes when you need to jot down a note you’re caught without paper or a pen. While an app like Google Keep is ideal for these situations, some would rather send a message to themselves.
    But if WhatsApp is their preferred messaging app, this could not be done unless the user opened a group chat and included himself as one of the group members, and then sent a message to this group. Who wants to go through all that just to remind yourself that the dog walker is on vacation, or to save a story or video that you just viewed online? The Meta-owned app has fixed this by disseminating an update that allows WhatsApp subscribers to send messages to themselves.
    A WhatsApp user can now select themself to be the lone recipient of a message he or she is going to send via the app. After typing the message you want to send yourself, the app puts up a notification that points out that the message you send is protected by end-to-end encryption. Unless you have multiple personalities, this doesn’t matter. But it does mean that WhatsApp or any other person that isn’t you, can not read or listen to the message.
    Meta had this feature beta tested by iPhone users and is rolling it out now for all users. It has been made available on Android and does work on this writer’s Pixel 6 Pro running Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2.1.
    WhatsApp has added more than just the ability to message yourself. Following the update, you can undo the “Delete for me” feature to bring back a message that you’ve accidentally erased from your WhatsApp account. To see how this works, you can just send a test message to yourself (which you can do now) and long-press on the test message. Tap the trash can icon on the top of the screen and you will see a pop-up. Select Delete for me and a bar at the bottom of the screen will appear that says “Message deleted for me” with the word UNDO on the right side of the bar. Tap it to undo the deletion and the message will return.
    You also can now control who will be able to see when you’re online. From the WhatsApp app tap the three-dot menu icon on the top right of the screen and go to Settings > Privacy > Last seen and online. You can tap Nobody on the top quarter of the display so that no one can see when you were last on WhatsApp. Underneath you can choose who can see when you’re online. The options are Everybody and Same as last seen. Select the latter option and if you have Nobody picked for last seen, no one will be able to see if you’re online.
    When you are about to message one of your WhatsApp contacts, under that person’s name, it will show the last time he or she was seen on the app. So if you’re a private person you might want to follow the directions in the above paragraph so that no one knows when you were on WhatsApp last and whether you are on now. On the other hand, you might want your contacts to know when you are available to have a conversation on the platform.
    Another new feature will allow users to search for a past chat by the date it took place. This helps if you can’t find a specific chat but you know the date when it occurred.
  • Google Messages app increases end-to-end encryption group chat limit to 100 participants in Beta

    Google Messages app increases end-to-end encryption group chat limit to 100 participants in Beta

    Google has been rolling out end-to-end encryption for group chats in its RCS Messages app and has reportedly completed the roll out to the Beta version. However, one limitation was that no more than 21 people could be added at a time for group chats to be eligible for encryption. Now it appears that Google is raising this limit to 100 people.

    This new limit matches the current 100-participant limit on RCS group chats, so you will no longer have to worry about whether your group conversation is encrypted. This contrasts iMessage’s current limit of up to 32 people in a chat for E2EE support.

    This change was not announced but rather found by Twitter user @SeeAreEff and reported on by Esper’s Mishaal Rahman and Android Police. Previously, if you added more than 20 people to a group chat, which equaled 21 including yourself, you would see the lock icon on the send button disappear. This is, of course, indicative that end-to-end encryption has been turned off.

    Remember, though, that encryption in group chats is still in beta and can only be used if you are using the Beta version of Google’s Messages app. It is currently unknown when this feature will reach stable status and make it to the regular version of the app.
    Meanwhile, you can check whether your group chat is encrypted by tapping on the group name at the top of the chat and checking the group details. There is a section dedicated to end-to-end encryption, which will let you know if the status is on and if your group conversations are safe from prying eyes.
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  • Google will soon allow Messages users to react using any emoji

    Google will soon allow Messages users to react using any emoji

    If you are messaging a fellow Android user who, like you, uses the Rich Communication Services (RCS) platform that is part of the Google Messages app, you can exchange longer messages, share larger video and image files, get a read receipt, enjoy end-to-end encryption, see a typing indicator, and more. Like Apple’s iMessage, none of these features will work when someone using another platform (like iMessage) is part of a group chat.
    But one thing that Google Messages users can do when talking among themselves, or even texting an iOS user, reacts to a message by sending one of seven emoji: thumbs up, smiley face with heart-shaped eyes, laughing with tears, surprised look, sad face with a tear, frowning face, and thumbs down. While those seven emoji will allow you to respond to many different messages, wouldn’t you prefer a wider range of possible options?
    Before we continue, let’s explain how Android users with the Google Messages app can respond to an RCS or Text message with an emoji. Long press on a chat bubble and you’ll see a pill-shaped popup containing the seven emoji mentioned above. Just tap on the one that best expresses how you react to a comment.

    For example, this writer is a beta tester for the Google Messages app yet the new feature is not showing up on my Pixel 6 Pro. If you are unable to access the emoji picker on your Android phone, don’t worry. Eventually, it will roll out for all Google Messages users.

    You can constantly check for an update by opening the Play Store app. Tap your profile pix or avatar or initials found in a circle on the right of the search bar at the top of the screen. From there, go to Manage apps & device and tap on the green See recent updates link. That takes you to a list of recently updated apps. At the top of the display, there is a tab reading Updates available. Tap on it and then tap on the Update all button.
    Google might end up using a server-side update which means that the company itself will flip the switch and you’ll never know until after it happens. We have no idea when you will receive the update containing the new feature but we have a gut feeling that it won’t be terribly long. Unless, of course, it is.
    You might recall that during the summer Google tried to pressure Apple into supporting RCS in a bid to stop the green bubble bullying that goes on when an Android user joins what was an all iOS group chat. When an Android user joins an all-iOS chat, many of the features of iMessage are no longer available and text bubbles turn green instead of blue. The interesting thing is that the same thing applies to iOS users who join an all RCS group chat on Android.

    The only difference seems to be that Android users don’t insult and bully those iPhone users who join their group chat which disables the RCS features in the same way that an Android user can disable iMessage features.

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  • A new leak suggests that WhatsApp might soon let you edit your sent messages

    A new leak suggests that WhatsApp might soon let you edit your sent messages

    If you do a lot of typing on your phone, you know how embarrassing it is to send a message with misspelled words. Sometimes you see that you have typed the wrong key after you have sent the message. There are even instances when the autocorrect feature might replace some of your words without you even noticing. This is why every messaging app should have an edit message feature.

    The latest messaging app that has received such a feature is iMessage. With iOS 16, Apple added the functionality for iPhone users to edit their already sent messages, and — soon — another widely used app might also enable you to do the same.

    Back in June, we reported that WhatsApp is working on a new way to let you edit already sent messages. Now, a new leak from WABetaInfo suggests that WhatsApp hasn’t abandoned the project.

    In version 2.22.20.12 of the WhatsApp beta for Android, the folks from WABetaInfo found that WhatsApp is currently working on a way to let the app replace your sent messages with their edited counterparts. Furthermore, in order to read a received edited message, WhatsApp will prompt you to install the latest version of the app — once the edit function comes out, of course.

    At the moment, it’s still a mystery how much time WhatsApp will give you to edit your already-sent messages. We should also note that the feature is currently in development, and sadly, there is no information on when WhatsApp will release it to the public. However, we can be sure that it is coming.

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