If you download the latest Google Messages update you might not notice anything different at a first glance. However, the brand has introduced several new redesigns that should make the experience more seamless with day-to-day use.
Timestamps are now easier to see
9to5Google shared the changes, giving users a heads-up that it's now even easier to gain access to timestamps in Messages. While you used to have to tap each chat bubble, you can now swipe left across the chat screen to reveal timestamps for all the messages.
It will also show the status, whether it's been delivered or pending, and whether it's secure or not. In order to reply to a message, you will now have to swipe right into the chat bubble. This might take some getting used to, but once you get it down, it should make the overall process much smoother.
Long press brings another level of interaction
In addition, Android Authority shared news about a new long-press command that's now available to experiment with in Messages. While you used to have to tap the menu at the top of a chat to access expanded features, that all changes today.
Going forward, users can long-press a message to open the same menu. The menu will provide quick access to Replay, Forward, Copy, Star, Delete, Select more, and Info. You can also long-press to highlight parts of a message if you want to copy and paste specific text.
Users can now update the app to see whether they have access. Although it's rolling out more widely, it doesn't appear to be available to everyone. For the most part, these two changes are very welcome, providing quality-of-life improvements that we can all enjoy.
Google Messages is still one of the best messaging options. However, that doesn't mean that it can't be improved. We love when Google pushes out changes, and more so when the changes are impactful. Of course, we've discovered that some tweaks need to be done on our own.
If you're looking to refine the Google Messages experience, we highly recommend checking out our in-depth guide, which will quickly and effectively clean it up. You can always try an alternative if you're looking, but those seem to be hit or miss.