Google is preparing to add messaging abilities to the Contacts widget on Android. The homescreen widget will show the last message from your contacts and let you open the conversation with a single tap. The app is also getting a minor UI revamp. These changes should roll out to users with an update in the future.
Google Contacts adds messaging abilities to its Android widget
Google recently rolled out beta version 4.26 of its Contacts app for Android. The new update doesn’t bring many changes on the user-facing side, there are a few notable changes hidden behind flags. Reliable code sleuth AssembleDebug could activate these flags to visualize what Google has in the works.
Firstly, the “Individual contact” widget for Google Contacts is gaining messaging abilities. The widget currently serves as a shortcut to open the contact details, place a call, and open the default messaging app to send a direct message. With the upcoming update, the last message from the conversation will appear within the widget. You can tap on it to open the conversation.
The folks at 9to5Google also discovered this upcoming feature within Google Contacts beta 4.26 for Android. Once rolled out, you will see a notification icon on the top right of your widget. It opens a dialog introducing the new feature. “See messages on your widget,” the dialog is titled. “To see and respond to the latest messages from your contacts, allow notification access for Contacts,” Google describes.
Screenshots shared by AssembleDebug suggest the widget will also indicate the total number of unread messages. The last message will appear below the contact avatar and call and message buttons, with “+1” indicating one more unread message from the contact. The buttons, which sit at the bottom of the expanded widget, are moved to the top if you have unread messages.
The Contacts app gets a UI overhaul
Google is also working on a UI revamp for the Contacts app. The company has removed the hamburger menu from the top bar on the app’s main page. It is replaced with a search icon, while the “three dots” button on the other end of the top bar is replaced with a “+” button to quickly add a new contact.
Labels, which currently sit within the hamburger menu, get a dedicated button on the main page. It opens a bottom sheet with your existing labels and the ability to create a new one. Additionally, Google will let you hide the “Phone contacts,” “Email contacts,” and “Company” chips at the top with a new button. The email chip also opens a bottom sheet for your email contacts. There is no telling when these changes will roll out to users.
