Signal’s latest beta steps up it’s texting game and allows you to be more expressive in-chat

So, instant messaging apps. They are everywhere nowadays. What started out with just a few apps here and there — back when a stable internet connection on your phone was just becoming a thing — is now pretty much its own industry. And we know that all of you best phone owners use at least one such app.And while WhatsApp and Messenger take most of the limelight — maybe even Viber or Telegram from time to time — Signal is also a cool alternative. I mean, can you name another app that has a feature that lets you change its icon for privacy reasons? Secret agent levels of secrecy much?

Signal also has a public beta on Android, which you can become a part of. And the latest update is seemingly less about the 007 mode and more about providing a bit of character and clarity through Text formatting.

Yep. We’ve gotten to a point where this doesn’t come pre-packaged sometimes. Oh well.

So, most of you probably associated formatting with

                      positioning like this

or maybe even extreme cases like this.

But this highly-advanced technical term also includes exhilarating concepts of the future such as:

• Marking a text as Monospace in order to make something stand out as a different type of info
• Utilization for strikethrough, if you’d like to go back and redact a part of a chat as no longer valid
• The always appreciated bold and italic
• And one that makes your text appear like alien radio waves from outer space!

Okay, I’ll elaborate. Remember how I wrote “seemingly” earlier in this text? Well, that is because I lied. You see, with this update, there is a spoiler effect, which may want to trick you with its name, but the way it looks on screen is very, very Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

You can still use it to hide actual spoilers. It’s just way less fun than hiding top-secret information. Or whatever.

But what about using all of these cool features? I thought you’d never ask:

1. Type something out
2. Mark your text via holding down on it with your finger and then adjusting the range
3. Hold down your finger
4. Voila! The features should have appeared, as long as you’ve joined the Beta

This one definitely falls within the “fun to use and appreciated” category of app updates. However, keep in mind that it is — as of now — only a part of the Signal beta on Android, so if you are eager to try it out: check if you can apply to join through the app’s Google Play Store listing.