What you need to know
- Google appears to be developing a "Profile" feature for its messaging app.
- The empty menu looks into possible options like profile visibility, sharing, and notifications for contacts.
- With the slight appearance found by searching for "profiles" in your Android settings, none of this works, as Google is still likely developing the feature.
Google's native Android messaging app may implement another feature that brings it more in line with some of its competitors.
A Reddit user posted a quick snapshot of profiles potentially appearing for Google Messages at some point in the future (via Android Police). The user explains that searching for "Profile" in the Android Settings menu displays an option, and entering goes into more detail showing toggleable options such as "profile sharing."
This early peek also shows options for profile visibility which is pretty standard no matter what sort of profile you're creating. An option such as this would come in handy in group chats where you may not be familiar with everyone there. Having your profile set to "Private" or "Contacts only" would ideally offer more protection than "Public," where anyone can see your entered information. The user also found two additional options for notifications when a contact's details are updated and one if a new contact is found.
For now, tapping on toggles doesn't seem to make anything work, as it's still likely in the development stage behind-the-scenes before entering a testing phase. Moreover, profiles may be new for Google Messages but not for a few of its competitors.
Both WhatsApp and Telegram have had profiles for their users for a while now. With things looking barebones for now, it's unclear just how much Google is willing to do with its profile feature. It may be more of a dream to think Google Messages would offer as much freedom as Telegram's Collectible Usernames. However, we may see more basic things included, such as setting your own profile picture along with your chosen name.
In another effort to step up its texting game, Google Messages rolled out its end-to-end encryption for group chats for beta testers in December. The testing has since become much more widespread for testers to experiment with this safer way of messaging people in their social groups.
