Google Messages Bid Farewell to Nudge Reply Reminders and Birthday Features

It seems like Google Messages is bidding adieu to a couple of useful features that many users have come to rely on. Unfortunately, the handy “Nudge” reply reminders and birthday reminders are no longer available within the app.

The “Nudges” feature was quietly introduced to Google Messages a few years ago, and it proved to be quite helpful. It would gently remind you if there were messages that you forgot to respond to or conversations that needed follow-up. Additionally, for those who struggle with remembering dates like birthdays, there were notifications to assist with that as well.

However, as reported by 9to5Google, the “Nudges” feature has suddenly disappeared from the latest stable and beta versions of Google Messages (v20240429_01_RC00). This comes as a surprise since it was still present in the previous stable app build. Previously located in Settings > Suggestions, the menu now only includes Smart Reply, Magic Compose, Suggested stickers, and Suggestions, with “Nudges” missing from the sub-menu.

Google has not provided a clear explanation for removing the feature, and it remains listed on Google Messages’ support page, adding to the intrigue. Perhaps Google has something new in store for users, but for now, its abrupt disappearance has left us puzzled.

Hopefully, more clarity will be offered later this month during Google I/O. We may learn about another feature that could serve as a replacement for “Nudges.” With AI increasingly taking center stage in such features, there is a possibility that an AI-powered solution might be unveiled instead. This trend is evident in Gmail and other applications within the Google Workspace suite where AI features are being leveraged to boost productivity. We will have to wait and see what unfolds in Mountain View in a few weeks’ time.