Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A new version of Google Messages appears to be hiding a new feature.
- When enabled, the feature allows you to take four-second videos and send them as GIFs.
- The feature will allow the user to choose the front or back cameras for the GIF.
Back in December 2023, Google released the December Pixel Feature Drop which introduced a number of new features to Pixel phones like Video Boost for the Pixel 8 Pro and Night Sight Timelapse for other Pixel devices. It appears, however, that Google may have left one new feature unannounced that would let users create selfie GIFs.
According to AssembleDebug on TheSpAndroid, a recent version of Google Messages is hiding a selfie GIF feature. Once the flag is enabled, the feature can reportedly be triggered by long-pressing the camera attachment icon located next to the text field.
It appears when the feature is activated, a brand new UI with a circular camera frame is brought up. At this moment, you’ll have the option to use your front or back cameras to record a four-second video that can be sent as a GIF to the recipient. There also appears to be a Restart button in case you mess up and want to try again.
In the images above, you can see the feature in action. You’ll notice that the UI appears to be a little out of frame. AssembleDebug says that this was a bug on his end caused by using a custom ROM.
It’s unknown when Google will make the selfie GIF feature public. Recently, a feature that was announced in the December Pixel Feature Drop arrived this month on the original Pixel Watch.