Google Messages app will soon transcribe voice memos, reactions updated with all emojis

In the latest “APK Insight” report from 9to5Google, a recent update to the Google Messages app has prepared the app for a couple of new messaging functions of existing features. These unfinished features

Whether you are sending a standard SMS/MMS or RCS message, you can send and receive voice messages. In a future update, you’ll be able to see transcriptions of your voice messages to help you communicate easier, perhaps in contexts when you can’t listen to a message aloud. The feature was manually enabled and then tested in the report.

Source: 9to5Google

Screenshots reveal that transcription of the voice memo happens on-device. In testing, there was a clear delay when transcribing a voice memo longer than 10 seconds.

Transcripts can help when voice message audio isn’t clear, or listening isn’t an option. Voice messages are transcribed only on your device and the transcript contents aren’t sent to Google. Manage anytime in settings.

Google Messages reactions allows you to ding an emoji in response to any message you receive over RCS. A new update would let you react to a message using any emoji, and not just one of the seven emojis currently available.

Source: 9to5Google

In this updated feature, the thumbs-down emoji is replaced by an icon that shows all the other emojis. The feature was manually enabled and tested, and users could receive new emojis as reactions regardless of having the feature enabled or not.

Finally, there’s a new gallery view when choosing content to send to a friend through Messages. Rather than scroll horizontally when selecting a photo, the attachment menu for the gallery will pop up and let you scroll vertically.

Source: 9to5Google

These features may come in a future version of the Messages app, but they haven’t been confirmed so they may or may not end up in new builds.

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