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These Google Messages changes could make texting more convenient (APK teardown)
- Google Messages is getting tweaked chat bubbles.
- The app will also display the name of the SIM you are using to message groups.
- Profile pictures are also becoming clickable, and the GIF view is getting some helpful UI changes.
Google is constantly making changes to its messaging app to improve how people use it. We’ve now spotted a number of cosmetic and UI changes coming to the Messages thanks to some stellar sleuthing from our contributor, Assemble Debug. The tipster managed to apply these changes while tinkering with the latest version of the Google Messages app.
An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
The first little tweak we spotted on Google Messages changes how chat bubbles appear in a conversation. Previously, the shape of the chat bubbles made consecutive texts look like one big bundle. With the change, each message in a conversation will have its own well-defined oval bubble, making it easier to track individual texts.
Next, the user profile picture in a person’s profile section will soon become clickable. You will be able to tap on the image to see a bigger version. This doesn’t work for the profile images of groups because Google Message groups four random profile pictures from users in groups to show as a group profile picture.
Another visual change headed to Google Messages is that it will soon show the name of the SIM card from which your messages are going through in a group chat. This only works in groups and primarily makes sense for dual-SIM users who like to distinguish between the phone numbers they are using to chat. SIM names should also ideally appear in individual chats if Google intends to simplify texting for those who use more than one SIM on their phones.
Lastly, the GIF selection screen will soon start displaying categorized GIFs. Previously, it showed them as hashtags.
All these changes should be included in a future update to the Google Messages app. Keep an eye out for them, and let us know if you start spotting any of them on your phone.