Google Contacts gets 'recent activity' feature: What is it?
What's the story
Google has added a new feature to its Contacts app, called "recent activity." The card appears between Contact info and Connected sections. It shows you the most recent call and message from the contact you're viewing. The call section displays when it happened, how long it was, or if you missed it altogether.
Feature details
How the 'recent activity' card works
The "recent activity" card also shows the last sent text or chat in Google Messages, along with the number used. Tapping on it takes you directly to the conversation. While call information may already be available, users need to enable SMS permission to view messages from their contacts. A prompt is provided to help with this process.
Accessibility
Similarity to Pixel VIPs feature
The "recent activity" feature can be accessed through the Google Phone app. This new capability is similar to the Pixel VIPs feature, which shows recent calls and messages. To note, the latest version of Google Contacts (4.58) has been rolling out over the past week and is now seeing wider availability.