Google Messages Testing Pin Conversations, Star Messages Features: Report

Google Messages is reported to be get two new updates sometime in the future. These features are still under development and have been spotted in the code of the latest update via Google Play store. The two new features include the ability to star specific messages and pinning conversations on top of the chat list. In November, Google rolled out end-to-end encryption for Android users of Google Messages, making it harder for anyone to read the content of the messages.

XDA Developers did an APK teardown of the latest Google Messages update rolling out for Android users. This new Google Messages update comes with version number 8.1.050 and it has started to roll out via Google Play. Strings for both these new features were found in the teardown, hinting that they may launch in the future. Of course, any strings in the lockdown are only indicative that the company is developing the feature and offer no certainty on whether they may be launched or not. Google may just decide to scrap these features during the developing process and never release it commercially.

Having said that, Google is reportedly developing a new ‘pin conversation' feature for Google Messages. XDA discovered that users will be able to pin up to three conversations to the top of the chat list, enabling users to see these chats up front, whenever they open the app. The strings suggest that three conversation may be pinned at the moment, but Google may reduce or increase the number of chats that can be pinned.

In addition to pinned conversations, Google Messages is also testing the star messages feature. This will allow users to star specific messages in a chat, that you think are important or need a special space for looking at later. All these starred messages should show up in a separate section, but clarity on how these will show up isn't clear yet. XDA says that users may be able to find starred messages through search at a later stage. These features aren't live yet and have just been spotted in the code. There is no clarity on when these may be released.