Google announced a group of new features for the Google Messages application, some of which have begun to reach users through beta versions, while their introduction to the stable version is sometimes delayed.
First, Google has redesigned link previews to be clearer, with a longer cover image and larger page title, while YouTube PiP has returned without the ability to open the entire app. It also added the @mentions feature in RCS group chats to alert people even when notifications are muted.
As for security, Messages now supports the MLS protocol via Universal Profile 3.0, allowing end-to-end encrypted RCS between Android and iOS. The encryption status can be checked from the details page for each message.
The app has also seen changes to the chats interface, with the message reading indicator redesigned to be in a circle at the bottom left of the bubbles, making it easier to swipe to see timestamps or reply to messages. Users can also quickly leave groups of unknown numbers with the option to block and report.
Google also added a redesign of the image viewer within the application, with a blurry background and a feature for scrolling between images, in addition to the Remix button that allows editing images using the Nano Banana model, with the feature initially available in English in a number of countries.
The camera and library icons have been improved, and the account menu is now full screen for accessing settings, archives, spam, and linking devices.
Finally, Google has launched security features such as detecting spam links and Key Verifier to verify the sender’s identity and protect users from impersonation.
