[17671]

Over the last few weeks, Google has not just updated the Icons for Phone, Messages and Contacts apps to look nicer, but they have actually made some pretty impressive changes within the apps themselves.
I have been beta testing these apps for the last few months and have noticed the changes slowly getting rolled out.

The first major notice is the google phone app, the phone app no longer minimizes to a floating icon when you go to the launcher or switch to another app, The interface looks cleaner.

The contacts app now you can sort between phone contacts or email contacts or by company with buttons on the top. This is great because my kids use android but can not call others, they can however email.

The messages app also got a nice facelift, the folders are all on the left under the hamburger icon and all the app settings options are on top right just like how other google apps have been.

 

[pinto]

I beta test as well, when my 6pro was replaced, the new icons showed up... took me a few minutes to find the RCS settings in messages. Took a bit of getting used to with the phone layout too. Enjoying the way they have done thins.

 

[Kenneth J Adams]

Sadly Google turned me off Android and went back to Apple. Google bricked my phone with an update that wasn't meant for it. Only later to find out there was a class action lawsuit and I missed the deadline to join it. They refused to compensate me with a replacement. I just purchased one of those Lenovo Chromebooks so I'm not fully out of it.

 

[ExDilbert]

Google, who develops Android, also develops Chrome OS so that's no escape. The Chromebook's main interface is based on the Google Chrome browser. Later versions of Chrome OS also have an Android subsystem and Chrome OS is typically updated more frequently than Android. As Windows 11 now has an Android subsystem (among other issues,) it appears that the only way only way to get away from Android and Google is to switch to Linux or Apple. Chrome OS is based on Linux and there are Linux distributions available that can be installed on Chromebooks. Chrome OS also has a Linux subsystem that could be used to try Linux.

 

[17671]

For the last little while phones had both Duo and Meet icons, probably to help ease with the transition, but after the latest update, they have removed the Duo icon.

 

[pinto]

People either hate Apple or Google eco's. Pick your poison

 

[JamesK]

There was an Android update last Monday for Pixel 6 phones. It appears to have significantly improved battery life.

 

[reidw]

Hate those new icons for phone/messaging etc. They look like ink splotches. What has happened to having icons which actually look like the product/item that they are supposed to represent? They look like something a two year old might have drawn.

 

[17671]

Weather you hate the icons or not, the icons was not the only change. There was real work done inside the apps. The google messages app (text messaging, chat messaging) for example, has received a revamp it seems you can tie it to your google account, not sure what that means but if its anything like what apple has done with iMessage than that is a good improvement and opens up the possibility in the future you can read messages across multiple devices.

 

[JamesK]

@17671

Messages has been available via browser for years at messages.google.com.

 

[17671]

Yes messages is available on the browser I am aware of that and use it often, but it is also "paired" to your phone, what I am talking about is something different, perhaps they are making it "TIED" to your google account, not "PAIRED", just think about how iMessage works on Apple phones and tablets, its a different method.

 

[17671]

Just noticed a new feature on google messages. I can now send emoticon reactions to SMS messages. I have always been able to send emoticon reactions to Chat (RCS) messages but the ability to send emoticon reactions thru SMS is something new that google messages never supported before. I wonder what magic they use behind the scenes for it to work