Google Messages hidden clues hint at new features, including camera effects،
Pre-installed on many Android smartphones, the Google Messages app is one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. Recently, the app has been on a streak of rolling out new features, and it looks like it doesn't plan to slow down any time soon.
According to LeSpAndroid blog (via Android Authority), various indicators in Google Messages hint at upcoming features, including camera effects, the ability to delete top contacts and preview drafts, and much more.
Google Messages has its own in-app camera activity, separate from your phone's camera app. It appears that Google is developing camera effects features, which could be accessible through this built-in camera. Although details on the effects remain scarce, Google will likely allow users to enable or disable these effects.
This is what the built-in camera interface currently looks like without any camera effects (Image credit – TheSpAndroid)
Additionally, Google Messages can eliminate the top contacts displayed when you tap the search icon in the app. Typically, Google Messages displays recent contacts you've chatted with. However, according to the source, enabling a flag in the latest beta makes the main contacts list disappear completely.
Likewise, a new flag removes the preview of draft messages from the main screen. While this makes the main app screen look cleaner, it hides a genuinely useful feature. This flag can be used for internal debugging purposes, similar to removing top contacts. However, we will have to wait until these changes are rolled out to beta testers to confirm if this is indeed the case.
Additionally, it appears that Google may offer users the option to opt-in or opt-out of providing usage and diagnostic information, specifically collected from the Google account associated with the user's Google Messages login. This setting should be available in Google Messages Settings > Advanced > Usage & Diagnostics.
Additionally, Google Messages could be preparing to allow users to edit messages already sent, a certainly welcome change. And that's not all: the beta version of the app indicates that stunning animated background screen effects are in the works for all users soon.
