Google Messages: it will soon be possible to send personalized GIFs

The Google Messages application, already well established on most Android smartphones, continues to develop new features with Selfie GIF. This tool allows users to record short three-second video clips using their smartphone’s front camera, then share them as an animated GIF in their conversations. A fun way to share funny reactions or simply greet a contact, as Apple offers with its Live Photos and Live Stickers.

To access this new feature, simply open a conversation in Google Messages and long-press the camera icon in the text field. You’ll then be prompted to record your self-portrait GIF using a three-second countdown, and you can even manually start recording by pressing a dedicated button. Once the recording is finished, you will have the opportunity to review it before sending it to your interlocutor.

Although Google has already published an article on its site detailing how it works, suggesting an imminent deployment on all Android devices, this functionality is not yet available to all users.

This new feature is in line with recent improvements made to Google Messages, with the adoption of the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol allowing the encryption of messages and the sending of better quality images compared to traditional SMS, or the integration of functions inspired by competition. With the addition of Selfie GIF, and the imminent arrival of Gemini in the app, Google Messages intends to stand out against other services available on the market.