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Apple released iOS 27.2.1 alongside updates for macOS, watchOS and visionOS, addressing several security vulnerabilities. Apple's notes describe a Messages flaw that could have let a remote attacker join an iMessage group chat uninvited, and an AirPlay issue that could have allowed a nearby attacker to bypass pairing code rate limits over Bluetooth.
Google is adding a feature to Messages that lets users edit photos and videos before sending by handing the task off to the phone's default gallery app rather than using a built-in editor. The capability was found in app code, indicating it is still in development and not yet widely available.
A tech guide highlights five Google Messages settings that are enabled by default but may hurt the user experience, including features tied to notifications and AI tools. The piece argues that disabling these options can make the app function better for most users, despite its overall strength as Android's default texting app.
Apple's iOS 27.2 update, released last week, adds a Siri 'Excluded Apps' setting that removes chosen apps from Siri, Search and suggestions. It also introduces customizable Messages Suggestions—contextual prompts like adding events to Calendar or Reminders—and brings Apple TV user profiles to iPhone for the first time, matching a feature long available only on tvOS.
Apple's iOS 27.2 update introduces a Messages feature called Suggested Actions, which detects actionable content in texts—like events or package tracking—and offers a one-tap shortcut beneath the message. Users can toggle five categories independently in Settings: Add to Calendar, Add to Reminders, Add to Notes, Show in Maps, and Flights and Packages, all enabled by default. The feature relies on Apple Intelligence, so it only works on AI-compatible iPhones.
Google has officially begun rolling out redesigned icons for its Contacts, Messages, and Phone by Google apps, the company confirmed in a blog post. The new icons feature gradient coloring and more rounded curvature, moving away from the apps' previous flat designs.
Google Messages beta version v20261030 introduces a redesigned app icon that replaces the current flat, interlocking pill design with a rounded speech bubble rendered in a blue gradient. A smaller, darker blue bubble sits behind it, echoing the old icon's conversation motif. The new icon is also appearing on Wear OS in the same beta release, though Google hasn't said when it will reach stable channels.
AT&T suffered a data breach disclosed in April 2024 that exposed call and text metadata for roughly 109 million customers, including phone numbers, call/text counts, durations, and location data from May–October 2022 and January 2023. AT&T stated the leaked records excluded call content, customer names, and Social Security numbers, affecting both current and former customers.
Android Authority outlines methods already available on most Android phones for sharing a user's real-time location with contacts, including Google Maps, Google Messages, and Find Hub. The guide walks through enabling location sharing in Google Maps via the profile menu, where users can set a time limit or share indefinitely until manually stopped.
Google rolled out chat themes to Google Messages in late August 2026, allowing users to set custom colors and wallpapers for individual conversations, a feature long available in other messaging apps. An Android Authority writer shared ten custom themes built from the app's included wallpaper collections, such as texture and space-photo backgrounds, paired with various accent color options.
WhatsApp announced four new features for group chats: a 'Mentions and replies' filter to surface unread messages where a user was tagged or replied to, the option to pin messages indefinitely instead of for a set period, the ability to retroactively share recent messages with new members by tapping their name, and group-specific status updates visible only to members of that group. The company said the rollout will happen gradually rather than all at once.
OpenAI has enabled its ChatGPT 'Dot' AI agents to communicate directly through Google Messages (RCS) on Android and iMessage on iPhone. Dots can proactively text updates, photos, or voice notes about ongoing tasks and retain context from prior conversations across ChatGPT, Slack, or Teams. The feature is currently a preview limited to ChatGPT Pro subscribers in the US.