In the latest versions of iOS, Apple has added a variety of new features to the Messages app on the iPhone, some of which are more useful than others. However, one of the key areas that Apple has overlooked is the iMessage group, and that is something I would really like Apple to focus on with iOS 14 this year.
iOS 10 was a particularly important version for iMessage, adding elements such as games, rich links, Digital Touch, etc. iOS 12 added support for spam and spam checks, while iOS 13 added support for sharing profile pictures and display names.
These are all (usually) very useful features and help the Apple Messages experience to compete with things like WhatsApp and Messenger. However, one area seems to have been overlooked: group messages.
There are three main features that I would like to see happen to the Messages app in iOS 14 for group iMessage threads: read receipts, keystrokes, and Apple Cash for group messages.
Read receipts are one of the most useful iMessage features for one-on-one chats, letting you see when someone else has read your posts. For group iMessages, Apple should let you see who in the group has read a message. For reasons of interface simplicity, you wouldn’t necessarily even need to see when someone read it, just what they did.
This is a feature offered by virtually all other messaging platforms and which facilitates group communication, especially when planning an event containing important information.
Then we all know the “bubbles” we see in iMessage conversations when someone else types a message. However, this functionality cannot be found in group messaging. For iMessage groups in iOS 14, this feature could easily be useful in preventing crosstalk, so if you see someone else typing, wait to see what they have to say before sending your own message.
And last but not least: Apple Cash in group messages. As it stands, you can use Apple Cash in messages for individual threads, but not for groups. Group support for Apple Cash could allow things like splitting an invoice, for example. Just put the total in the group and everyone participates via Apple Pay.
For Apple, the competition in messaging has increased considerably in recent years. Apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, Snapchat, Telegram and WeChat have grown in popularity as incredibly popular messaging platforms that are independent of iMessage. They also all offer features such as group payments, input indicators and reading receipts.
Meanwhile, Google is moving forward with the adoption of Rich Communication Services, or RCS, which is a platform that includes many iMessage-like features for Android users. iMessage has long been one of the most popular features on the iPhone and one that locks users into the Apple ecosystem. Updates to group messaging would go a long way to helping iMessage keep up with the competition.
These requests may seem obvious, and they have even been the subject of rumors regarding iOS updates before. But in the end, they haven’t made their way to the iPhone yet. Hopefully this will be the year when Apple finally adds additional group messaging features to iOS, but we’ll have to wait and find out.
What features do you want Apple to add with iOS 14 this year? Do you think it’s finally time for these iMessage group features in iOS 14? Let us know in the comments!
Read more:
FTC: We use automatic affiliate links to generate income. More.
See 9to5Mac on YouTube for more information on Apple:
