Hands-On With Digital Touch, Bubble Effects, Apps and More in iOS 10's Messages

[MacRumors]

According to Apple, Messages is the most used iOS app, and for that reason, it got a lot of attention in iOS 10. Messages has been completely revamped with features to make conversations more personalized, expressive, and fun.

As can be seen in the video below, background animations, like balloons, confetti, and fireworks can be sent along with messages to make an impact, and a new "Bubble Effects" feature lets users send iMessage chat bubbles with different animated effects to add emotion to each message.

Digital Touch, the sketching feature of the Apple Watch, is coming to Messages. Digital Touch can be used to create little sketches, send a heartbeat, and send taps, and on iOS devices, you can Digital Touch over photos and videos.

Photos can be taken directly in the Messages app and edited with new built-in editing tools. There's also a new Markup feature that can be used to annotate images with text, sketches, and more.

Emoji in the Messages app are now three times larger when sent alone, and there's a new predictive Emoji feature that will automatically suggest words that can be replaced with emoji symbols. An invisible ink feature lets you send messages that stay hidden until a finger slides over them, and there's a tool for sending handwritten notes to friends.

A "Tapback" feature for lets users quickly respond to messages with symbols like a heart or a thumbs up, and Messages now supports rich links so it's possible to view content in line and do things like play Apple Music songs without leaving the Messages app.

The biggest change to Messages is a dedicated Messages App Store, which allows developers to create apps that are used exclusively in Messages. Stickers and GIFs can be added to message threads through apps, and more powerful capabilities, like sending payments or scheduling a dinner can also be done through apps without leaving Messages.

In case you missed them, make sure to check out our seven minute WWDC 2016 video, which features a quick rundown on all of the new iOS, macOS Sierra, tvOS, and watchOS features Apple introduced this week, our video highlighting iOS 10's overhauled Lock screen, and a video on the new features in the Photos app. Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors, because we've got more in-depth software videos in the works.

Article Link: Hands-On With Digital Touch, Bubble Effects, Apps and More in iOS 10's Messages

 

[d0minick]

interested in releasing my own sticker packs.

 

[MistrSynistr]

this is dumb as hell.

 

[LordQ]

I was really looking forward to iMessage for Android and sending money via Apple Pay as rumored, but got 3x bigger emojis

 

[Mums]

this is dumb as hell.

I just don't care about emojis and all kinds of bobbles and jingles on my messages. Has everyone become a little girl all of a sudden?

 

[meaning-matters]

Nice these good old Susan Kare (http://www.kareprints.com) original Macintosh icons.

 

[KALLT]

Can the recipient turn off these animations and stickers and such?

 

[oneMadRssn]

I can't really complain about any of these new features. I do hope there is a setting to disable receiving the full-screen effects - that can be annoying.

 

[Carlanga]

Can the recipient turn off these animations and stickers and such?

afaik no, only if they have a different ios version or nonios device will enjoy receiving it as a regular message.

 

[Kaibelf]

I just don't care about emojis and all kinds of bobbles and jingles on my messages. Has everyone become a little girl all of a sudden?

This mentality is why the guy who runs snapchat is rolling in mountains of money while you're here complaining about how dumb his type of product is.

 

[stringent]

I wonder if individual read receipts will actually make it through this time!

Don't want all the emoji or sticker or animation rubbish. Something to be said for a clean easy app.

 

[12vElectronics]

I can't really complain about any of these new features. I do hope there is a setting to disable receiving the full-screen effects - that can be annoying.

I agree about the lasers and confetti and fireworks all over my screen. Otherwise I look forward to this updated iMessage functionality.

 

[CBJammin103]

As someone who works with teenagers, I can say that while you may think these features are dumb, apple knows exactly what they're doing... They're not going after traditional "power users" here but instead the huge market of snapchat-using iPhone owners who will eat these features up.

 

[Carlanga]

This mentality is why the guy who runs snapchat is rolling in mountains of money while you're here complaining about how dumb his type of product is.

these stickers and effects would have been fine in a separate app or being able to fully turn off the new graphical stuff. Snapchat is only used by certain groups and messages is used by all groups from kids to millennial to baby boomers which have the same quantity of smartphones as the millennials. There is a reason facebook stayed vs myspace, customization that can't be controlled to something standard by the visiting users killed it.

 

[gijoeinla]

Personally, this was a brilliant move on Apple's part. The iMessage app is probably the most used feature on the iPhone all alone.

I can say with a certainty that in my circles (Los Angeles, entertainment industry, family, friends etc) the opening up of the messages app will be a huge "sticky" feature that will further addict users to their iPhones.

Was a bit dumbfounded yesterday reading some comments around the web like "how un-apple the changes to iMessage were" or the frequent "steve jobs is rolling over in this..." or "steve jobs would never have...."

BS!

Messaging IS the future. Clearly those bashing the changes have no clue how intensely important this one phone feature is across EVERY SINGLE DEMOGRAPHIC globally. Bewildered why anyone would underestimate the importance of better effects, emoji's, interactivity, input of video, photos, music etc into iMessage, then setting up it being offered on Android etc.

The second most important feature on an iPhone is.....

The Camera. Clearly too when iPhone 7 is released we will see that improve significantly. Those already bashing the "underwhelmed sense from no physical changes" to iPhone 7 is already a "pre disappointment" I think when all is said and done will see significant changes to the camera, to touch ID (setting up for it's complete removal as button in 2017), our audio experiences and headphones etc.

Just the headphones alone for a guy like me that NEVER has been able to use the earbuds will be a HUGE new feature if in fact they upgrade them to wireless and hopefully a better more universal fit.

 

[RedPlanet]

Where I live whatsapp is omnipresent. Without a android version iMessage isn't going anywhere.

 

[AllergyDoc]

The individual read receipts is nice. Sadly, my wife will be a big user of the other new fluff.

 

[WiseAJ]

Every message I send will be the slam bubble effect followed by a full screen fireworks text

 

[xDKP]

I thought Facebook messenger was the place for stuff like this? Bigger emojis and such is cool enough but apps? Really? Stickers? Come on ..

 

[Zoboomafoo]

This mentality is why the guy who runs snapchat is rolling in mountains of money while you're here complaining about how dumb his type of product is.

This. Or you could replace snapchat with WhatsApp. If Apple didn't update iMessages like they did, they'd basically be saying "whelp, we don't want to compete in that space any longer."

 

[Carlanga]

Personally, this was a brilliant move on Apple's part. The iMessage app is probably the most used feature on the iPhone all alone.

I can say with a certainty that in my circles (Los Angeles, entertainment industry, family, friends etc) the opening up of the messages app will be a huge "sticky" feature that will further addict users to their iPhones.

Was a bit dumbfounded yesterday reading some comments around the web like "how un-apple the changes to iMessage were" or the frequent "steve jobs is rolling over in this..." or "steve jobs would never have...."

BS!

Messaging IS the future. Clearly those bashing the changes have no clue how intensely important this one phone feature is across EVERY SINGLE DEMOGRAPHIC globally. ..

The reason is that you are living in the same marketing L.A. bubble as the guys that "designed" this new messages. This new messages app will cause baby boomers and others to deflect from using the app and they own the same amount of smartphones as the millennials. There is a need for standardization if you want to hit all markets, this new messages app it isn't. Even facebook understands this better than the new designers at apple.

-------

There is a big reason whatsapp is the #1 messages app globally and its not because of stickers and special effects.

 

[sudo1996]

I just don't care about emojis and all kinds of bobbles and jingles on my messages. Has everyone become a little girl all of a sudden?

It's aimed at the Chinese market, which enjoys it especially.

 

[hardhatmac]

Looks like someone needs to replace their batteries in their smoke detector. It's a little dangerous to just remove the battery like that.

 

[d4rkc4sm]

Messages looks and feels like a dinosaur next to apps like Zalo. You might not like these new features but they are the future...

 

[C DM]

So much unnecessary outrage over optional things that don't have to be used and don't really change the Messages app much from what it's like now if they aren't used.