Google Messages is about to get much more helpful ...

Google’s native textual content messaging platform for the Android

Android OS
, referred to as

Google Messages
, is about to obtain two new options within the close to future: a delicate content material warning system, and a real-time location tracker instrument. The previous is designed to routinely blur out lewd, suggestive, or adult-themed content material from inside texting threads, whereas the latter is meant to make it simpler to trace the situation of family and friends by way of a brand new reside map interface.

When it rolls out, delicate content material warnings will probably be opt-in for adults, and it will likely be on by default for customers underneath the age of 18. Flagged media will probably be blurred routinely, with the choice to then go forward and think about the content material in query after hitting a affirmation button. In response to

Google
, this characteristic works solely on-device, with no knowledge despatched to the cloud.

Actual-time location sharing, which appears to be an upgraded model of the present (and slightly restricted) one-and-done share location characteristic, is prone to work equally to Apple’s location sharing feature inside iMessages when it lands on gadgets. When enabled, it permits you to preserve tabs on one other individual’s location, whereas offering real-time GPS updates as they traverse the world.

Google first confirmed its plans to combine a delicate content material warning system into its Messages platform again in October of final yr, however the characteristic is reportedly solely now starting to roll out to customers (via 9to5Google). As for the real-time location-sharing instrument, there is not any official affirmation on when the characteristic may go reside. In the meanwhile, all now we have to go off of is an APK teardown, courtesy of Android Authority.

Google Messages

Google’s default messaging utility, which is put in on many Android telephones out of the field. The corporate’s customized RCS implementation brings with it end-to-end encryption.

Google Messages is stable, however there’s nonetheless room for enchancment

I might like to see Google embrace further quality-of-life options in its native Android messenger

Google Messages has actually come a great distance in a comparatively quick time frame. After several botched attempts at making a unified messaging platform over time, Google finally hinged its bets on a rejuvenated Messages app, full with native help for the

Rich Communication Services
(RCS) texting commonplace to bolster its utility.

Since then, the corporate has steadily launched new options into the app, whereas extending its attain to desktop platforms by way of its Google Messages for web service. Extra just lately, Google has applied a flurry of recent instruments into the Messages combine, together with the power to

send RCS messages to yourself
, deeper

integration with its Gemini chatbot
, the addition of a

Magic Compose
characteristic, a fun-yet-quirky

Photomoji
maker, and extra.

These additions to the Google Messages expertise are very a lot welcome, they usually actually carry the texting platform in nearer proximity to the likes of iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, and different competing options. That being stated, there are nonetheless a few further options I might like to see Google implement sooner or later.

Specifically, I might like to see the re-introduction of the category tab layout, which routinely organizes textual content threads into buckets corresponding to transactions, provides, one-time passwords (OTPs), and extra. Secondarily on my private wishlist is the implementation of a ‘ship delay’ possibility, which has been out there on

third-party SMS apps
for years at this level. When toggled on, this setting permits you to cancel the sending of a message inside a 3-to-5-second window, which has saved me numerous bouts of embarrassment over time.

Associated

I tried convincing my friend to switch to Google Messages, and it didn’t go well

Google Messages has turn into the de facto texting platform for Android – here is why that issues a lot.