Meta recently teased an update to Messenger that will introduce a number of new features to the app’s end-to-end functionality including chat themes, custom chat Emoji and Reaction, group profile photos, link previews, Active Status and Android bubbles.
In addition to these new features, Meta says it will open up end-to-end encryption to more users, and says it won’t fully enable end-to-end functionality at this stage, with more testing needed to fix bugs.
The main new features of Messenger
Chat themes:
Meta has added chat themes to help personalise and enhance conversations in end-to-end encrypted chats.
Customised Chat Emoji and Reaction:
You can view the full menu of Emoji and Reaction and customise the quick Reaction panel in end-to-end encrypted chats.
Group avatars:
Choose different avatars for groups of friends or colleagues
Link Preview:
Link previews have been rebuilt for an end-to-end encrypted chat so that you can see where the link will take you before you click it.
Active Status:
Let people see when you’re active so they know when it’s time to call. You can also choose to turn this feature off if you want to improve privacy.
Bubbles on Android:
Bubbles (circles with photos of your friends) allow you to read and reply to messages while you are using other apps. When enabled, a bubble will appear when you receive a new message.
