Google introduces ‘Shielded Email’ for enhanced privacy and new double-tap feature in messages

Google to Launch ‘Shielded Email’ to Hide Your Address in Android Apps

Google is reportedly working on a new privacy feature called “Shielded Email”, aiming to protect your personal email address when using Android apps. This feature is similar to Apple’s Hide My Email, available for iCloud+ subscribers, which creates unique, random email addresses that forward messages to your main inbox. This way, your real email address remains private, reducing the risk of spam and tracking.

How Shielded Email Works

According to details found in the beta version 24.45.33 of Google Play Services, Shielded Email is designed to keep your email address private when you sign up for new accounts through Android apps. It generates unique email addresses that are used temporarily, with all incoming messages being forwarded to your main email address.

Some key elements of Shielded Email include:

• Email Forwarding: All emails sent to the shielded address are automatically forwarded to your actual inbox. You can disable forwarding anytime from your Google Account settings if you encounter excessive spam.
• Privacy Protection: The feature aims to protect users from data breaches and online tracking by hiding their real email addresses when signing up for apps or services.
• Integration with Google Services: Shielded Email will likely be integrated with Android’s autofill system and Google Password Manager, making it easy to use without needing additional apps.

The feature is expected to be accessible via myaccount.google.com and could be managed from your Google Account settings on Android devices.

Will Shielded Email Be Free?

It’s not yet confirmed if Google will offer Shielded Email as a free feature or include it as part of its Google One subscription plans. Making it a paid feature might help Google prevent misuse and limit it to users who value additional privacy.

Potential Usage Scenarios

Shielded Email could be beneficial when:

• Signing up for newsletters or online services where you prefer not to share your main email address.
• Reducing spam by using a temporary email address that can be deactivated anytime.
• Enhancing privacy by minimizing the chances of your real email address being leaked in data breaches.

Google Messages Introduces ‘Double Tap to Heart’ Feature

Alongside Shielded Email, Google is also rolling out a simple yet useful feature in its Messages app — the ability to double-tap a message to send a heart reaction.

Double-Tap to Heart: A Quick Way to React

Previously, users had to long-press a message to bring up a row of reaction emojis. With this update, you can now simply double-tap a message to send a red heart emoji, making it a faster way to express appreciation or love in a conversation.

• Prompt for New Users: When the feature first rolls out, users will see a small prompt informing them about this new capability.
• Simplified UI: This new gesture aligns with other user interface changes in Google Messages, including updates to RCS status indicators and read receipts. The redesign reduces the need to tap on messages to view timestamps and encryption status, clearing the way for the double-tap gesture.

Why the Red Heart Emoji?

Google chose the red heart emoji as the default for the double-tap gesture, likely because it is a common reaction across various messaging apps. However, many users might prefer a more customizable option, such as the thumbs-up emoji. Adding customization could make this feature even more versatile.

Gradual Rollout

Google started testing this feature earlier this year, and it is now becoming widely available after a server-side update. It’s being gradually rolled out to both beta and stable users, so if you haven’t seen it yet, it should appear soon.

Conclusion

Google’s upcoming Shielded Email feature could offer a significant boost to user privacy, helping protect your actual email address from unwanted tracking and spam. This move aligns with Google’s ongoing efforts to enhance user data protection, similar to offerings from Apple. Additionally, the double-tap heart reaction feature in Google Messages aims to make interacting with messages quicker and more intuitive, streamlining the user experience.

Overall, these updates reflect Google’s focus on improving privacy and user experience across its Android ecosystem. Keep an eye out for these features as they continue to roll out to more users.