Sliding SMS Update Adds More Functionality and Visual Options

We may earn a commission for purchases made using our links.

Back in April of this year, we talked about an interesting SMS application by XDA Senior Member matt_stang. Called Sliding SMS, this application took the old AOSP-derived CM10 messaging app and updated it with much more elaborate UI stylings similar to what we see in the Google Hangouts app. While the app was technically in beta at the time, it gained many loyal users. Since then, the app has seen continual refinement, as is now back in full release form.

Over the last four months, Sliding SMS has seem quite a lot of improvement. This manifests itself both in terms of a tweaked UI, as well as new features that let you get even more out of your messaging experience. On the UI front, conversations can now be given a background color when viewing the thread. You are also able to set dedicated status bar and action bar colors in order to match your system scheme. Even the logo colors are customizable now so that this messaging app is never the oddball in your carefully manicured OS. On the feature side, the primary change since the beta version involves a rebase to a newer version of the stock messaging app. Rather than being built on the CM10 app, it is now based on the stock Android 4.4.4 messaging app. In addition, users are now able to set notification behavior options, which let users select whether to open the app or a popup upon accessing a status bar notification, as well as new timestamp options and support for Android L Developer Preview.

If you’ve been looking for a stock-like SMS experience with a few more Hangouts-inspired tweaks, Sliding SMS is a great place to start. Head over to the Sliding SMS application thread to get in on the action.