Latest news with #businessmessaging
Phone Arena
3 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Google Messages gains two new features and one new problem
Two new features are now rolling out to Google Messages users, but that doesn't mean everything is rosy. First, as spotted by Android Authority , RCS business messaging (RBM), or the business-to-consumer version of the Rich Communication Services messaging protocol, now supports PDF files. While RCS largely solved the issues that plagued the traditional SMS protocol by making the messaging experience richer and more interactive, it didn't let users send PDF files. This necessitated the use of email or other messaging apps to send PDF files, and added an extra hindered communication involving flight tickets, passes, and documents in the PDF format. That has changed now, with Google enabling support for sending PDF files for RBM users. For now, the feature is only available in India, and the file size cannot exceed 100MiB. Google Messages will show a preview of the first page when a PDF file is sent if it's not password-protected. | Image Credit - Google A preview image based on the first page of the file is shown when a PDF file is sent. Clicking on it opens the file in a PDF viewer. For password-protected files or other instances when previews aren't available, a default icon or thumbnail image is displayed instead. —Google, July 2025 Google is also fixing the truncation issue that plagues rich card carousels. This RBM feature allows businesses to combine media, text, and buttons in one in the full-screen view, texts or suggestions on a rich card carousel were sometimes cut off. To indicate that more content is available, a More button is now displayed on truncated carousel cards. It isn't necessary to click on the button to view the message, as tapping anywhere in the text will expand the into a swipeable, full-screen view. This will ensure that users don't miss out on crucial details. Messages will no longer end abruptly. | Image Credit - Google This feature is in beta right now, and a public rollout is expected by the end of the third quarter. These two features will result in a better experience for users as they will neither have to go through the hassle of using another app to receive PDFs from a business nor have to worry about skipping over important parts of a message. Google Messages is crashing after a new update but reinstalling it might help. | Image Credit - 9to5Google As Google works to improve the messaging experience, a bug has made it to the app. The latest beta version, which was released yesterday, appears to be glitching, with Pixel and Samsung users complaining that it crashes within a few seconds of only happens when the homepage or messages list is launched, leaving notifications and chat bubbles as the only way to carry on conversations. While some users were able to fix the problem by navigating to App info and uninstalling updates from the three-dot menu, the only reliable recourse is reinstalling the update. Rest assured that this will not delete your message history.
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Android Authority
Google Messages finally fixes a long-standing issue with truncated text
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR Google is rolling out a 'More content' button for RCS messages with rich card carousels in its Messages app. The new button will expand rich card carousels into a full-screen, swipeable view to show the complete message, eliminating issues caused by truncated text. The update, currently in open beta, is expected to roll out globally by the end of Q3 2025. Traditional SMS continues to have its use-cases, but texting has now evolved to instant messaging apps and RCS. There's no reason to stay stuck to a 160-character limit on our texts, and RCS helps us remove that ancient and outdated limit from our conversations. The benefits of RCS spill over to messages that businesses send too, but on apps like Google Messages, businesses haven't been properly able to take advantage of rich card carousels since their long messages would get truncated, leaving us as users often confused. Google is now fixing the issues with a 'More content' button, which will soon be added to your RCS conversations on Google Messages. When businesses send a long RCS message to the user, parts of the message text would get cut off on the rich card carousel due to height limitations. Google tried to remedy the situation by making the rich card carousels larger and more readable, but the issue persisted. Rich Card Carousel - Text getting truncated Rich Card Carousel - "Fixed" but text still getting truncated To fix this, Google is now rolling out a 'More content' button whenever more content is available than visible in the rich card carousel. Tapping anywhere in the text area (and not just the More content button) will expand the rich card into a swipeable, full-screen view so that users can see the complete message. This way, users aren't confused about the truncated content, giving us better utility out of the message. For businesses, their entire message is eventually visible to the end user, so critical details or calls to action aren't entirely lost. The full-screen view is currently available in Google Messages Open Beta. Global availability is expected by the end of Q3 2025. Follow
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gupshup raises $60M in equity and debt, leaves unicorn status hanging
Gupshup, a business messaging startup that began its journey in India over two decades ago and became a unicorn four years ago, has raised a new over $60 million round — but is keeping its new valuation under wraps. In 2021, Gupshup raised two funding rounds within four months, securing $340 million from prominent investors including Tiger Global, Fidelity Management, Think Investments, and Malabar Investments. These rounds — the startup's first in roughly a decade — valued Gupshup at $1.4 billion. However, Fidelity, which led the round following its unicorn milestone, slashed its internal valuation of the startup at least three times between 2023 and 2024, bringing it down to as low as $486 million. The new funding round, which combines equity and debt financing from Globespan Capital Partners and EvolutionX Debt Capital, aims to help the San Francisco-headquartered startup expand its presence across its high-growth markets, including India, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. The startup would not reveal the exact debt portion although its founder and CEO Beerud Seth told TechCrunch that the equity part is 'a little more than half.' In 2004, Gupshup — derived from Indian slang meaning 'conversations' — started as a platform to help businesses connect with their customers through text messages. It gained popularity as text messages were not free at the time, and people were seeking ways to send messages to their friends and community groups. However, as communication shifted from short messaging service (SMS) to WhatsApp and Rich Communication Services (RCS), the startup moved to these avenues with its chatbot services. Now, as AI has become a catchall term, and AI agents — software that can perform specific tasks on behalf of users — have emerged everywhere, Gupshup has started enabling businesses to deploy agents. 'There's a lot of demand coming from enterprises. Everybody needs to build these AI agents, which work through messaging like RCS and WhatsApp or through voice. So, building out these agents, there's huge demand, and we need to support it,' Seth said. Globally, AI agents are gaining traction, with startups building them drawing strong investor interest. Tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are also exploring how to bring more of these agents to users through their own platforms. The result: competition is heating up. Gupshup does not view the rising competition as a threat. Seth pointed to the startup's substantial install base — which exceeds 50,000 customers across more than 100 countries — and its track record of product innovation, driven by years of experience in business messaging, strategic acquisitions, and internal R&D. 'Businesses cannot use simple foundation models off the shelf and just put them in front of customers. They need a lot of customization to be done, and that's where Gupshup comes in. That's what we provide,' he noted. Since its last round in July 2021, the startup 'tripled' its revenue and grew its profitability, Sheth said. However, it is unclear whether that resulted in an increased valuation, as, he said, this latest round was not priced. 'As a founder, you focus on value, and the valuation will follow,' Seth said when asked whether he still considers the startup a unicorn. 'We operate ourselves like we are going to be a big company.' Alongside expanding geographically, the startup aims to utilize its fresh funding to enhance its products, which are used in industries including automotive, banking, e-commerce, fintech, media, payments, retail, and travel. Its products also include click-to-chat ads, an AI campaign copilot, agent assist, and campaign manager. Gupshup claims to power over 120 billion messages annually for thousands of enterprises. Looking ahead, the startup sees an IPO as its next major milestone. 'We're talking to all our advisors, lawyers, bankers, accountants, and so on, to figure this out,' Seth said. The startup has no specific timeline for its public listing, although Seth told TechCrunch that it could happen in 18–24 months. Gupshup is exploring whether it should list on Indian stock exchanges — a move that makes strategic sense, as the startup views India, where WhatsApp dominates, as a more favorable market. Among the reasons: it's easier to communicate its story to local retail investors, who are more familiar with WhatsApp and understand how Gupshup's products, including its AI agents, operate within the platform. However, since Gupshup is domiciled in the U.S., a flip to India would trigger tax liabilities, which could require additional funding. The IPO 'is the one thing that we don't control entirely. The calendar depends as much on external factors as it does on the company,' Seth said. Sign in to access your portfolio
TechCrunch
23-07-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Gupshup raises $60M in equity and debt, leaves unicorn status hanging
Gupshup, a business messaging startup that began its journey in India over two decades ago and became a unicorn four years ago, has raised a new over $60 million round — but is keeping its new valuation under wraps. In 2021, Gupshup raised two funding rounds within four months, securing $340 million from prominent investors including Tiger Global, Fidelity Management, Think Investments, and Malabar Investments. These rounds — the startup's first in roughly a decade — valued Gupshup at $1.4 billion. However, Fidelity, which led the round following its unicorn milestone, slashed its internal valuation of the startup at least three times between 2023 and 2024, bringing it down to as low as $486 million. The new funding round, which combines equity and debt financing from Globespan Capital Partners and EvolutionX Debt Capital, aims to help the San Francisco-headquartered startup expand its presence across its high-growth markets, including India, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. The startup would not reveal the exact debt portion although its founder and CEO Beerud Seth told TechCrunch that the equity part is 'a little more than half.' In 2004, Gupshup — derived from Indian slang meaning 'conversations' — started as a platform to help businesses connect with their customers through text messages. It gained popularity as text messages were not free at the time, and people were seeking ways to send messages to their friends and community groups. However, as communication shifted from short messaging service (SMS) to WhatsApp and Rich Communication Services (RCS), the startup moved to these avenues with its chatbot services. Now, as AI has become a catchall term, and AI agents — software that can perform specific tasks on behalf of users — have emerged everywhere, Gupshup has started enabling businesses to deploy agents. 'There's a lot of demand coming from enterprises. Everybody needs to build these AI agents, which work through messaging like RCS and WhatsApp or through voice. So, building out these agents, there's huge demand, and we need to support it,' Seth said. Globally, AI agents are gaining traction, with startups building them drawing strong investor interest. Tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are also exploring how to bring more of these agents to users through their own platforms. The result: competition is heating up. Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW Gupshup does not view the rising competition as a threat. Seth pointed to the startup's substantial install base — which exceeds 50,000 customers across more than 100 countries — and its track record of product innovation, driven by years of experience in business messaging, strategic acquisitions, and internal R&D. 'Businesses cannot use simple foundation models off the shelf and just put them in front of customers. They need a lot of customization to be done, and that's where Gupshup comes in. That's what we provide,' he noted. Since its last round in July 2021, the startup 'tripled' its revenue and grew its profitability, Sheth said. However, it is unclear whether that resulted in an increased valuation, as, he said, this latest round was not priced. 'As a founder, you focus on value, and the valuation will follow,' Seth said when asked whether he still considers the startup a unicorn. 'We operate ourselves like we are going to be a big company.' Alongside expanding geographically, the startup aims to utilize its fresh funding to enhance its products, which are used in industries including automotive, banking, e-commerce, fintech, media, payments, retail, and travel. Its products also include click-to-chat ads, an AI campaign copilot, agent assist, and campaign manager. Gupshup claims to power over 120 billion messages annually for thousands of enterprises. Looking ahead, the startup sees an IPO as its next major milestone. 'We're talking to all our advisors, lawyers, bankers, accountants, and so on, to figure this out,' Seth said. The startup has no specific timeline for its public listing, although Seth told TechCrunch that it could happen in 18–24 months. Gupshup is exploring whether it should list on Indian stock exchanges — a move that makes strategic sense, as the startup views India, where WhatsApp dominates, as a more favorable market. Among the reasons: it's easier to communicate its story to local retail investors, who are more familiar with WhatsApp and understand how Gupshup's products, including its AI agents, operate within the platform. However, since Gupshup is domiciled in the U.S., a flip to India would trigger tax liabilities, which could require additional funding. The IPO 'is the one thing that we don't control entirely. The calendar depends as much on external factors as it does on the company,' Seth said.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta Adds More Business Messaging Features
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Meta's looking to provide more business messaging options, as messaging usage continues to surge. At its Conversations 2025 conference, which was held in Miami this week, Meta announced a range of new business messaging features, including business AIs in WhatsApp, and calling and voice options for larger brands. It also announced some smaller tweaks, which may also be relevant to your business messaging approach. First off, Meta announced that brands can now add a WhatsApp button to their Google Business Profile, enabling prospective customers to get in contact via WhatsApp direct from Google Search and Google Maps. So now, you'll be able to better align with messaging use, by showcasing your WhatsApp profile on your Google Business display. It's also giving WhatsApp users the ability to open links from businesses directly within WhatsApp. As you can see from these example screens, users will soon be able to open direct links in a WhatsApp browser, eliminating the need to switch apps (which will also provide more data on response). On another front, Meta's also updating its pricing model for the WhatsApp Business Platform, with new 'volume tiers,' so that business users have more pricing options to consider. It's also adding more outcome options to Click to Message ads: 'To help drive the outcomes that matter to businesses, we are making purchase and lead optimization available to our Ads that click to messages, and introducing value optimization for ads that click to Messenger to maximize ROAS. And with automatic-destination messaging ads, we can help your businesses meet your customers where they are by delivering ads that open to their preferred messaging app – WhatsApp, Instagram Direct, or Messenger.' It's also expanded the functionality of its WhatsApp Business tools, including the ability to use features available on the WhatsApp Business Platform and the WhatsApp Business App at the same time, while it's also testing out native order tracking updates via WhatsApp from shopping platforms like Shopify, VTEX, and WooCommerce. Businesses can also now send one-time passwords and verification codes to customers on WhatsApp. Messenger's also getting some handy updates: 'For businesses using Messenger, we're testing new calling features including the ability to see who is calling and whether it is from an ad, along with AI call summaries and transcription, so you have a record of what was discussed live. Meta's also rolling out some updates to its Cloud API and Marketing Messages Lite API options, to offer more business messaging features. Some smaller updates, which could be relevant to your approach. And with people now sending a lot more messages than they post or share in their social media feeds, it could be worth digging into the various messaging business options now available. Recommended Reading Meta Adds Labels to Business Chats in Messenger Sign in to access your portfolio
