iOS 10 Messages explained: What’s new and how you’ll use it

As part of its major iOS 10 unveiling at the WWDC opening keynote, Apple showed off a brand new Messages app. While previous years have seen the app slowly evolving to be more capable, this year’s revolution brings with it a huge change in focus. Instead of an ageing, but necessary communication tool, Messages now wants to be a cool, interactive and fun application.

READ: Apple iOS 10 release date and everything you need to know

Although they didn’t say so during the announcement, it seems very much like Messages is trying to compete head on with the likes of Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. But that doesn’t mean it’s going all form and no function. In fact, this is probably the biggest update we’ve seen on a default text messaging app on any platform in a very long time, and probably since BBM ruled the roos on Blackberry. And it’s not just more colourful and interactive, it’s more personal too.

Apple

Scribbles, quick responses and heartbeats

A key part of the update is a change in the ways you can communicate. You can – as always – text someone by tapping away at the physical keyboard, the same way you have been ever since the first iPhone came out 9 years ago. If you want to, that is. Or you can make use of some of the features Apple has brought across from the Apple Watch.

First off, you can now hand-scribble a message, and whoever receives it will see the doodle animate on screen, just like it would if you wrote it with a pen. Second, in group messages, you can react directly to individual messages by tapping a specific message and choosing one of six quick responses. Third, just like the Apple Watch, you can send your heartbeat, or sketches, or videos with your own scribbles on them.

Apple

Bubbles, balloons and invisible ink

While iOS 10 will bring multiple new methods of inputting your message, the Messages update also lets you customise how the receiver will see them on screen. As an example, you’ll be able to change how the bubble containing your message animates. Whether you want to appear more excited, or a little quieter, you’ll be able to choose from a number of preset animations to get your feelings across.

For certain specific messages like “Happy Birthday” or “Congrats” (just two examples of many) you can have an animation take over the entire conversation screen. For the birthday greeting, for instance, you can have balloons animate and fill the display.

Invisible ink is another new effect, which allows the sender to conceal their message in a shimmery, glittery overlay until the reader taps it to reveal what’s behind. This is beneficial for more personal messages.

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More, better emoji

If you love chatting with emoji instead of real words, the next version of Messages will be a dream come true. Not only do emoji show up three times larger than they did before, but also show up in the predicted words bar at the top of the keyboard. As well as predictive emoji, you can also select individual words in a created message to swap them out for emoji.

Bringing up the emoji keyboard turns applicable words orange/yellow to denote which ones can be used. Tap the one(s) you’d like to change and it’s an emoji, just like magic.

Apple

Stickers and iMessage apps

Alongside the main text input field in the new Messages app, there’s an ‘Apps’ icon. To begin with – similar to Facebook Messenger – this will be primarily used for stickers. But Apple is opening it up to third party developers so that they will be able to build apps specifically for Messages. While you’ll be able to send animations, or create content to send to your friends and loved ones, you’ll also be able to share music from the Apple Music app, or make personal payments, all without leaving the app.

Conclusion

It’s hard not to like the updates to Messages. In many ways, it’s the modernisation the app sorely needed. In other ways, it almost seems as though Apple wants to make the app a central part of your digital life. By having multiple apps tie into Messages, and putting effort into how conversations are presented, it’s clear the company – at the very least – wants you to spend more time there.