AppleInsider StaffNow that iOS 10 is out in the hands of iPhone and iPad users around the world, AppleInsider offers a deeper look at the major feature additions Apple implemented in Messages, including emoji replacement, text bubble animations, rich links and the iMessage App Store.
As seen in the video above, Messages in iOS 10 brings the iPhone's most used app up to date with competing messaging solutions, both on iOS and beyond.
Text replacement received a healthy update with smarter recommendations and the ability to swap out commonly used phrases with corresponding emoji. With text bubble animations like "slam" and "gentle," users can be even more expressive in their correspondence. A new "invisible ink" feature hides private messages from view until activated by a user swipe.
Borrowing from Apple Watch's watchOS UI, Apple included a Digital Touch module into Messages for iOS 10 that lets users send along doodles, their heart beat, a fireball animation and more.
Moving on to the integrate App Store, iOS 10 devices can now run app extensions directly within the Messages ecosystem. Apple offers a few sample apps to get users started, like an #Images browser that searches the web for gifs. Other apps are already taking advantage of Apple's API, for example users can now book a dinner with OpenTable and send cash via SquareCash, all without leaving Messages.
Sticker packs are also a hot commodity on the iMessage App Store, with game developers jumping on board early to market branded content that livens up Messages feeds.
Finally, rich links within Messages provide previews of photos, videos, web content and more without opening a standalone viewer.
For more on Apple's latest and greatest mobile operating system, check out AppleInsider's Inside iOS 10 series.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
18 Comments
Yeah I found iMessage easily the most buggy part of iOS 10.
Long press on the blue 'send' arrow in messages does not bring up the special menu that it is supposed to do on my iPod Touch 6 Gen running iOS 10 but other stuff like handwriting and heartbeat do work.Edit: Fixed, I needed to have 'motion effects' off.
It's a great update. It's working very well for me. If my own experience is a good example, iMessage will leapfrog the competition with first-party integration of all the services, stickers, etc. Other apps, even the entrenched ones -- FB Messengers, What's App, etc. -- aren't going to build their own platforms on iOS as well as Apple can.
Updated IP6 over the weekend. Mostly happy with the update. Two changes that are a bit annoying, though.
1. The keyboard sounds have changed. I can't stand that some keys have a different sound and the regular sound changed as well. This is change for change's sake and wholly unnecessary.
2. Unlocking the phone is more convoluted. I used to press the home button to wake and then use my fingerprint to unlock. Usually, I could get it done in one motion. Since my phone is not raise-to-wake capable, I have to press the button to wake, do the fingerprint and then press the home button yet again. Sometimes I get it to unlock when I press it and it reads the fingerprint. However, usually, it triggers Siri. Siri is triggered much to quickly.
I'm sure I'll get used to it, but for devices without the new Touch ID, it really should operate as it always did.
UPDATE: I found a setting that makes it the way it used to be. General>Accessibility>Home Button>Rest Finger to Open.