The messaging app by Google is now simply called Google Messages

Google has quietly dropped the “by Google” suffix from its messaging app, which is now simply called “Google Messages.” The previous name, “Messages by Google,” was mainly used by the company itself, its partners, and other official sources for marketing purposes. For instance, the YouTube video that showcased the app’s major update last year was titled “Messages by Google – New features and a new look coming your way.” However, most users referred to the app as “Google Messages,” and that is now the official name on the Play Store.

This change follows the app’s recent redesign, which added the four-colour “G” logo next to the word “Messages” in the app's top-left corner. The app is still called “Messages” on Android devices. And it is unclear if Google will also rename its phone app, which is currently called “Phone by Google.”

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Google’s Magic Compose feature comes with a privacy trade-off

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Google is rolling out the beta of Magic Compose, a new feature in its Messages app that uses AI to suggest text messages based on your conversation. But as Android Police reports, there's a catch: to generate suggestions, Google will send up to "20 previous messages" from your chat to its servers—even if you're using end-to-end encryption (E2EE) with RCS.

Google explains this on its Magic Compose support page, saying it will use these messages, and any emoji, reactions, and URLs they contain, to help its AI create a suitable reply. Google says it won't send any messages with attachments, voice messages, or images, but it warns that "image captions and voice transcriptions may be sent." These messages will then be discarded, with Google not storing any data or using it for training its AI models.

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Google’s Magic Compose lets you personalize your texts

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Google recently announced a new feature today that uses Android’s guided customization and generative artificial intelligence to help users write more personalized text in its Messages app. Magic Compose lets you choose the tone of your message and then adjusts the text for you. You can use it for different types of messages and conversations. For instance, you can make your message more upbeat or more formal, or you can have some fun and make it sound like Shakespeare.

Magic Compose could be helpful for people who text a lot and need to switch between different tones and styles. But it doesn’t seem like an essential feature from what was demonstrated so far. It’s more like another way for the company to show off its AI capabilities in its Android apps. Along with other new AI-related tools, this new Google Messages feature could make Android more attractive in the competitive device market. Magic Compose will be available in beta later this summer.

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Google Messages on web get emoji reactions

If you want to send emoji reactions to someone you're chatting with on Google's Messages app, it's now possible to do that, even when you're on the web. Google updated its web client to allow you to send emoji feedback. You simply need to hover over any message you want to reply to, and two new icons will appear. One with an emoji, and another is an overflow options button. 

You can choose from seven reactions: thumbs-up, heart eyes, laughing with tears, surprised, sad, angry, and thumbs-down. It works on your messages and anyone else you're talking to, including group chats. But you can only send one reaction per message. The feature is rolling out to everyone, so it should make its way to you soon.

Source: Android Police