Google is testing five new features in its Messages beta app. These updates aim to improve user experience and could roll out to users as early as this month, further refining the app’s capabilities for Android users. Let’s take a closer look at these features.
1. Expanded 14-Line Message View
Google Messages is addressing a long-standing limitation with an expanded 14-line message composition field, up from the previous 4-line limit. Spotted by 9to5Google, this will allow users to view and edit lengthy texts or URLs without scrolling, making it easier to compose long messages.
2. New RCS Labels for Contacts
The beta introduces RCS labels to distinguish between RCS and SMS messages. An APK teardown by Android Authority revealed that an “RCS” tag will appear next to contacts using RCS, improving clarity for users leveraging RCS’s advanced features like read receipts and high-quality media sharing, a move that could boost RCS adoption among Messages’ 500 million active RCS users.
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3. Unsubscribe Button for Automated Texts
A new unsubscribe button for automated texts offers a seamless opt-out option. Users can select reasons like “not signed up,” “too many messages,” or “spam,” triggering an automatic “STOP” message to unsubscribe. This feature, spotted weeks ago, addresses the 48% of users receiving unwanted texts weekly, per a 2024 Statista report, making spam management more user-friendly.
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4. Redesigned Read Receipts
Google is revamping read receipts with a white background for better visibility, following a November 2024 update that placed checkmarks inside message bubbles. Tested in January 2025, this subtle redesign ensures read receipts stand out, improving the chat experience by making it easier to track message status in conversations, a small but effective UI enhancement.
5. Camera and Gallery Redesign with Original Quality Media Sending
A camera and gallery redesign introduces an “Original quality” media sending option, allowing users to share photos and videos without compression, alongside an “Optimize for chat” mode for faster sharing.
Final Words
With 1 billion users, Google Messages trails WhatsApp (2 billion) and iMessage (1.2 billion) but is gaining ground, per 2024 Statista data. These updates, alongside Google’s focus on phasing out Google Assistant for Gemini, position Messages as a strong Android messaging contender. What are your thoughts on these upgrades, let us know in the comments below.
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