Google is constantly playing with new features for all of its Android apps. Some of these features never come, while others make their way to the public releases. These features are usually tested by the company’s employees. While these internal tests are always inaccessible to the average users, at times we manage to enable them before public release. For instance, the folks at XDA-Developers, recently discovered that Google is testing to add bubble notifications and suggested stickers to the Google Messages app. They also discovered a new Verified SMS feature in the application. It is coming to check if the business messages are coming from verified accounts or not. Now, Google is rolling out the said feature via the Beta version of Google Messages.
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According to a report from Android Police, the verified SMS feature is now live in Google Messages beta v5.3.075. The feature is enabled by default. However, it only works when you receive an SMS from a verified business. This feature will be great for the sake of security. After all, it can prevent fake business accounts from spoofing users. It makes use of authenticity codes to verify each SMS you receive. The verification method uses a unique hash that uses your phone number as a base.
If the hashes match, the app will display information about the business, including its logo with a “verified” icon. On the other hand, if it didn’t match, then the app will show “Message could not be verified” prompt. If you wish to try it out for yourself, you can download the latest Google Messages beta update from APK Mirror by clicking on this link.