Google Messages Drops Reply Reminders and Birthday Features

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Well, it seems like Google Messages is waving goodbye to some nifty little tools we had gotten used to. Yup, those handy “Nudge” reminders and birthday alerts? Gone. Poof. Just like that.

A couple of years back, Google snuck in the “Nudges” feature into Messages. And let me tell you, it was a godsend. Forgot to reply to a text? “Nudges” had your back, nudging you to follow up. And birthdays? Those notifications were lifesavers for someone like me who can’t even remember what I had for breakfast.

But here’s the kicker: as the sharp-eyed folks at 9to5Google pointed out, “Nudges” has ghosted us. Vanished from both the stable and beta versions of Google Messages (v20240429_01_RC00), to be precise. And just like that, it feels like we’ve lost a friend. A feature, sure, but a helpful one at that. You used to find it under Settings > Suggestions, but now? Nada. Zip. Just some other options left, looking a bit lonely without “Nudges” there.

Before and after shots of the Suggestions menu, courtesy of 9to5Google, really drive the point home. And Google? Mum’s the word from them. No explanation, no nothing. It’s still on the support page, though, which is kinda like reading a ghost story.

But hey, maybe Google’s cooking up something even better. We’re all eyes and ears for Google I/O later this month. Maybe they’ll unveil some AI wizardry to take “Nudges'” place. With AI creeping into every nook and cranny of Google Workspace, it wouldn’t be a shocker.

So, here we are, scratching our heads, waiting for what’s next. Mountain View’s got us on the edge of our seats, wondering what they’ll pull out of their hat in a few weeks. Let’s just hope it’s something good.