Google Messages is Getting New Privacy Features

Google Messages has been riding a wave of success lately, with all three major US carriers now using the app by default, moving away from their messaging apps like Verizon Messaging. Samsung has also decided to replace its Messages app with Google’s in its smartphones.

This momentum has enabled Google to finally persuade Apple to support RCS (Rich Communication Services), allowing Google Messages users to message iPhone users with features that previously required iMessage.

Google’s RCS app is gaining new features as its popularity grows, including the much-anticipated Profiles feature that the company announced last year. Recently, a teardown of the app’s APK revealed potential privacy options hidden in the code, offering users greater control over their profiles.

According to a report from Android Authority, AssembleDebug uncovered these settings in the Google Messages version 20241010 beta. These new settings allow users to control who can see their profile picture and name. Users can choose to display their full name, a short name, or no name at all, and decide whether to show this information to everyone, only contacts, or just the people they message. While this is a welcome feature, the full rollout of Profiles has yet to happen.

Google is addressing privacy concerns early, which is a positive step. However, it remains unclear whether users need to know each other or can search for profiles in the discovery aspect of the feature, and this is still to be determined. Though Profiles is a promising addition, it still needs improvements, such as the ability for users to set custom profile photos