Google Messages is getting a useful upgrade for anyone who has watched a simple plan turn into dozens of messages scattered across a group chat.
As part of the September Android Drop, Google is bringing Google Keep directly into Messages. People in a conversation can create a shared note or list, then view, edit, and add to it without leaving the chat. The integration begins rolling out today.
It sounds like a small addition, but putting Keep inside Messages could make group chats considerably more useful for actually organizing things.
This could save group chats from endless scrolling
The new Google Keep integration can be accessed by tapping the + icon inside Google Messages. From there, a shared note or list can be created and added directly to the conversation. Everyone in the chat can then view it, add new items, make changes, or check things off.
The obvious uses are grocery lists and vacation planning, but off the top of my head, I can think of plenty more. Friends meeting up could keep a running store-run list instead of sending separate requests throughout the chat. A road-trip group could keep track of stops, while people planning a party could make one checklist for food, drinks, and supplies.
Movie night is another good example. Everyone could add their recommendations to one shared list and then work through the options when it is time to pick something. Roommates could use the same feature for household purchases, while families could keep a shared list of errands or things that still need to be done.
More importantly, the list stays editable. Someone who remembers something later can simply add it instead of searching through an old conversation to find where the planning started.
Google Messages is getting a little more colorful too
Shared notes are the more useful addition, but Google is also giving Messages some new customization options.
Chat theme lets you give individual conversations their own background and colors. You can pick a wallpaper or use one of your own photos, and the message bubbles will automatically change to match it. Their colors can also be adjusted separately.
Chat theme is available now, while the Google Keep integration is beginning its rollout today. The two additions are fairly different, but both make Google Messages feel a little more capable than a basic place for sending texts.
