Latest news with #photoSharing
Phone Arena
2 days ago
- Phone Arena
Useful changes made to the Google Messages app
Back in April we told you that Google was considering an update to the Google Messages app that would allow users to write and view up to 14 lines of text in the text field without having to scroll up or down. That would be a huge improvement over the current four lines of text that Google Messages allows users to read at one time. Yesterday, Google disseminated the update bringing the 14-line text field to Google Messages. I did receive the expanded text box in a beta version of the Google Messages app on my Pixel 6 Pro running Android 16 QPTR1 Beta 1. With the bigger field, users can type longer URLs allowing the recipient of a text to view the entire address at one time. In addition, tapping on the Gallery feature on the Google Messages app brings up a fullscreen viewfinder. Let's say you want to send a photo via the Google Messages app. Tap the recipient's text address and from the text field, tap on the "+" icon (found inside a circle) on the left of the field. Press "Gallery" and you'll see that fullscreen view from your phone's rear camera. Previously, you could swipe the screen up to see a halfscreen view including a small live viewfinder at the top of the sheet. At the bottom is a grid of recent photos. Google Messages now can fit 14-line messages in the text field. | Image credit-PhoneArena Besides including the larger viewfinder, underneath it is now a larger grid showing a series of recent photos. When you tap the Gallery icon, the focus (no pun intended) is now on the camera and the fullscreen viewfinder. If you want to see more of the photos in the gallery, swipe up from the bottom. You can also optimize the picture for chat (which sends it faster and uses less data) or send it in original quality (full media resolution). After selecting a photo from the gallery, tap on the small box on the right side of the top that says HD+ or HD to optimize the photo you selected. From L to R photo optimized for chat, controls to change optimization, photo optimized in original resolution. Image credit-PhoneArena If you don't have the Google Messages app installed on your Android handset, you can download it from the Google Play Store by pressing on this link. If you have an Android phone and are using the messaging app that your carrier offers, you might want to check out the Google Messages app. This is especially true if your carrier-supported messaging app doesn't fully support RCS which allows Android users to enjoy the following: High-quality photos and video sharing Read Receipts In-transit encryption during cross-platform chats End-to-end encryption during one-on-one chats between users who both have Google Messages with RCS chats enabled, and group chats where all participants are using Google Messages with RCS chats enabled Typing indicators The 14-line text field is available on the stable (version 20250518_01_RC00) and beta (android_20250603_02_RC00) versions of Google Messages.
Android Authority
6 days ago
- Android Authority
Google Messages is changing how you attach images and videos, with new UI and HD+ quality
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google Messages is rolling out a redesigned full-screen gallery UI featuring caption support and original-quality (HD+) photo sharing to users in the stable branch. Users in the beta branch are getting access to the snooze chat feature that lets them temporarily mute individual and group conversations. Google has begun rolling out a new, redesigned UI with Material 3 Expressive elements to Google Messages users in the beta branch. But that's not the only change rolling out. We've now received user reports indicating that Google is also rolling out the redesigned gallery interface with a full-screen camera viewfinder and original-quality media sharing for users in the stable branch, as well as snooze chat features for beta users. Redesigned media gallery UI and original-quality media sharing Instead of the usual half-sheet, users now see a full-screen UI when adding an image using the Gallery button on the right of the text compose field. The button launches the full-screen camera UI, and you can scroll to the bottom to view images and videos in your device storage. After selecting an image, you can also add a caption, which you couldn't do previously. Users also see the option to send media in 'original quality' (denoted by 'HD+' in the UI), which sends the media file in its full resolution. You can choose the 'optimized for chats' option to save on some data, as this will send the usual, lower-resolution version of the image or video. As mentioned in our original coverage when we first spotted the change, the new UI has an unnecessary focus on clicking a new photo. This slows the process of attaching media since, in many cases, you'd want to attach some media that you have already clicked, saved, or downloaded, which is now a two-step process. Snooze chat Google Messages beta users can also now snooze notifications for specific chats. For users who have received the feature, a new snooze button appears in the toolbar at the top of the screen when a chat is long-pressed. Tapping on it will bring up a pop-up in which they can select whether to snooze the chat for one hour, eight hours, 24 hours, or always. There's also a new Snooze chat option with user profiles. Snoozing works for both individual and group chats. When snoozing a group chat, users can select whether they want to be notified when they are @mentioned in the chat. Snoozed chats will show a clock icon on the home screen and a pop-up highlighting the snooze duration within the chat. You can unsnooze chats using the same process flow as snoozing them. Do you like the new gallery UI within Google Messages? Do you prefer it over the older UI? Let us know in the comments below! Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Phone Arena
14-05-2025
- Phone Arena
TikTok staff worried and upset about a new feature that's in the making
Nobody knows what's really going to happen to TikTok (at least in the US, where a ban might be introduced any time soon), but TikTok users might get a new feature to play around with. A new feature that doesn't necessarily make TikTok employees happy and proud – what's more, some people among the staff are really worried about new feature would allow users to share photos via direct messages, according to people familiar with the matter, The Information reports. The move appears aimed at boosting engagement with the app's messaging function, which has yet to gain the same traction as similar features on popular platforms like Instagram and TikTok's direct messaging is limited to users aged 16 and older and allows only the sharing of TikTok videos, stickers, and text messages. Sending images or videos not created within the app is not allowed. Alongside photo messaging, TikTok is reportedly also working on introducing voice messages to direct chats, which is also nice. Image credit – TikTok While the photo feature could enhance the app's social tools and keep users engaged – something that every social media platform is after – it has sparked internal debate. Employees focused on product development and growth have reportedly pushed the plan forward, but those in legal and safety roles have voiced concerns. They fear that allowing photo sharing could increase the risk of image-based exploitation, particularly among younger risks have become a growing issue in many countries across the globe. A rising number of scams target minors by soliciting intimate images and then using those to demand money, a practice that has led to tragic consequences. According to the FBI, more than 13,000 cases of online image-based coercion targeting minors were reported between late 2021 and early 2023, including at least 20 cases of people taking their own have since increased pressure on tech companies to prevent such incidents. Companies like Meta have taken steps by blurring sensitive images for teen users, while Snap is currently facing a lawsuit over its platform's role in such cases. In 2020, TikTok said it restricted who can send messages and does not permit image or video sharing within DMs to protect users. The potential reversal of this policy reflects a careful balancing act: increasing user engagement while avoiding controversy that could further damage the app's standing in the US. Already under scrutiny over its ties to China, TikTok faces political pressure and legal threats, including a Supreme Court-approved law that could lead to a US ban if it fails to separate from its Chinese ownership.
