New small tweaks on iMessage for iOS 17

These iMessage features joins the new Check In feature (Image: Apple)

iMessage has new features that make communication easier and more enjoyable. Apple cleaned up iMessage apps by moving them into an expandable menu. It'll show your most used apps first. Search filters get more refined to help you find what you need quickly and accurately. 

There's also a new catch-up arrow that lets you jump to the first unread message in a conversation. Inline replies are also just a swipe away. As for live location updates and audio message transcriptions, you can access that within the chat.

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Microsoft Phone Link update brings iMessage support to Windows PCs

Screenshot: Microsoft

While Apple users don't typically use Windows devices, those users who do will get the option to use iMessage right from their PCs. But it'll be on a limited capacity, of course. A preview of this new feature is available to Windows Insiders now. You can use the Microsoft Phone Link app to send and receive messages through iMessage, make or receive calls, and see your notifications. 

Microsoft uses Bluetooth to link Windows devices to iPhones. As mentioned, there are limitations., including the inability to send pictures or join group messages. You won't be able to view the full message history, either. Only the messages sent or received through Phone Link will be visible. It might seem like the feature is too rudimentary, but this is the first time Microsoft supports calls and messages from iPhones, making it a step in the right direction. Microsoft has started testing the feature out with a small group of users, but it plans to increase this number over time.

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Apple has 'Ted Lasso' sticker pack in iMessage, Clips

Apple isn't just promoting its TV+ comedy series, Ted Lasso, with actual stickers. There is now an iMessage Sticker Pack and animated stickers in the Clips app. The stickers showed up around a week ago on the App Store. Unfortunately, these aren't integrated into the TV app. And these are the first ones to show up in the Clips app, too. Here's to hoping Apple eventually makes it easy to use and share these stickers on their different apps.

Source: 9to5Mac

Apple’s been moderating search terms for GIFs on iMessage after porn showed up

Apple uses Bing to power its new GIF search on iOS 10 and trouble showed up in the most unusual way. Searching for even a supposedly harmless term like “huge” uncovered things like someone’s private parts or someone engaging in sexual acts. Apple has since started to moderate the search terms for both words with obvious sexual connotations but this will be a tricky line to tread as even seemingly harmless words like “bounce” show up images of women’s breasts.

Source: Engadget + Gizmodo