Google Messages, the free SMS, MMS and RCS application for Android, should very soon be enriched with new practical and original functions, such as the automatic transcription of voice messages into text.
If Google struggles to generalize the RCS – Rich Communication Service –, in particular because of Apple, which stubbornly refuses to implement this communication protocol intended to replace SMS and MMS for the exchange of messages on mobile phones, the American giant is not abandoning Google Messages. Installed as standard on most Android smartphones, this free application, which allows you to exchange SMS and MMS as well as RCS, is constantly evolving by discreetly but continuously enriching itself with new practical functions. And by examining the code of a version under test, 9to5Google has spotted some very interesting new features that should be deployed soon. On the program: automatic transcription of voice messages, reactions with all available emojis and better viewing of photos and videos from the gallery. What make the application simpler and more versatile.
Google Messages: new practical functions coming soon
Like multimedia messengers like WhatsApp, Google Messages allows you to send voice messages using the microphone button, which is very practical for telling a long story – and avoiding typing everything by hand – and better conveying emotions. . However, they may not always be very suitable. For example, the quality of the audio may be degraded and make the message incomprehensible, or the recipient may not be able to listen to them. That’s why Google is working on the text transcription option for incoming voice memos. In the test performed, there are two possibilities: either the messages are automatically transcribed when they are received, or you have to manually press the Transcribe button. In its tests, the 9to5Google team found a rather correct transcription, with punctuation that is carried out according to the pauses and the tone of the interlocutor’s voice. However, it’s nowhere near as fast as the Google Assistant’s voice input on the Pixel 6 – they observed a delay of more than 10 seconds between the start of the audio message and its transcription. There is still optimization work to be done to gain speed…
Another of the functions in preparation concerns the possibility of reacting to messages with emojis. Basically, we only have the choice between seven emojis. A possibility that has been extended to all emojis available on the Android smartphone. So the “thumbs down” emoji in the reaction bar is replaced with an icon that says “add emoji” and then reveals all the others.
Finally, the last function identified will appeal to those who send a lot of photos and videos via Google Messages, since the application will modify the gallery. Normally, it displays recent images in a horizontal carousel that you have to scroll through. A process that can be somewhat long when it comes to an old shot. From now on, we will be able to increase the size of the gallery menu, which is then displayed vertically, in order to find photos and videos more easily. All these options should therefore arrive in future updates of Google Messages, although they have not yet been confirmed.