Google's Messages app came out with a brand new update this week, and while it's sporting a major new version number, the changes are fairly moderate. It's now possible to give custom names to your group chats, and there's a tweak to the UI that makes Messages look a lot more like Google's Contacts and Phone apps. There are also several things to discuss in a teardown, particularly with regards to RCS.
Read MoreGoogle Messages v4.0 enables renaming of group chats, changes colors for unpictured contacts, and more [APK Teardown]
Spam protection is going live in Messages for some
Earlier this month, we spotted the first signs that spam protection was finally ready to roll out to Android Messages after over half a year of development. Based on reports from a handful of tipsters, that spam protection feature is now going live, though not everyone seems to have it just yet.
Android Messages can now send calendar files, in case you ever want to do that
I don't think anyone anywhere has ever said the phrase, "Let me text you that calendar file." Perhaps it was commonplace practice before the era of Google Calendar and other cloud-synced tools, but it's hard to see a case for texting calendars in 2018. Still, someone at Google must have thought that functionality would be useful, because it just arrived in Android Messages.
Read MoreMessages v3.9 prepares to launch spam protection, working on support for sending calendar and office documents, and more [APK Teardown]
Google is sending out a new version of Messages, the one chat app everybody expects to live at least to the end of 2019. So far, there's not a lot to see on the user-facing front after the update, but there is at least one change to message attachments. The teardown is more interesting, featuring more details on the upcoming spam protection and support for new file types in the share dialog. There are also some bits of polish coming to group messaging.
Read MoreGoogle updates Messages app to fix bug that broke search functionality [APK Download]
Some of you may have recently encountered an annoying bug in Google's SMS app Messages (formerly Android Messages) whereby the search function would no longer work — ironic when your company is primarily known as a search engine. Thankfully, a fix has now been released and the issue should no longer present itself.
Read MoreMessages v3.8 brings updated camera interface, new camera and gallery shortcut, and UI tweaks [APK Teardown]
An update to the Messages app (formerly Android Messages) has begun making the rounds, and unlike so many other updates lately, this one has a few standout changes after installation. There are a handful of smaller UI tweaks floating around, but a more significant change has been made to the camera interface for taking quick snapshots. There's also a new button in the messaging interface that will get you to the camera even faster.
Read MoreMessages 3.7.052 brings back Smart Reply and fixes the constant crashing on Wear OS [APK Download]
When Messages 3.7 rolled out a few days ago, something wasn't right with the app. On Android phones, Smart Reply was gone while other features were added, and on Wear OS watches, the app was crashing constantly. Thankfully, a new update to v3.7.052 on both phones and watches is rolling out, and it fixes both issues.
Read MoreAndroid Messages desktop client is now a Progressive Web App
Google has continued to improve the Android Messages desktop client, most recently with an updated Material Design look. Perhaps in an effort to make it work better with Chromebooks (as part of the 'Better Together' feature), the Messages site is now a Progressive Web App, so it can be installed as a 'native' application.
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The latest Messages 3.7 update is crashing constantly on Wear OS watches
Messages 3.7 began rolling out a few days ago, and while the update brings some significant improvements on Android phones, notably the addition of contact sharing, it did something a lot less desirable on Wear OS. The app is now crashing constantly on smartwatches and can't even stay open for a second.
Read MoreGoogle shortens 'Android Messages' to just 'Messages' on its Play Store listing
Google really, really likes changing its SMS app's name. First called 'Messenger,' it was renamed to 'Android Messages' in early 2017, likely to avoid confusion with Facebook's extremely popular Messenger. Now the name's been shortened to just 'Messages' on the Play Store listing. What a world we live in.
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