iMessages are about to get some way better features

Between WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and the other apps designed solely to stop you from using your phone to - you know – phone people, we’re practically spoiled for choice for free texting options these days.

Apple, it seems, have cottoned on, revealing plans to pimp its iMessage service with a barrage of cool new features as part of the new iOS 10 update and get us all back on side.

Here's a look at what you'll be getting.

In-message camera launch

Finally. No more exiting iMessage to take a photo and then attach it, soon you'll be able to do all that from within the texting service. Tapping the camera icon will launch the camera viewfinder for you to snap and send straight away. Helpfully, The camera roll will also getting a redesign that makes it look more like the iPhone’s Photos app.

Full screen animations

Unveiling the new tricks at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) which took place in San Francisco yesterday, the tech behemoth revealed three big power plays: full screen animations, automatic emoji suggestions. A triple whammy of welcome additions, but of course only one of them looked as cool as this.

Hidden messages

In an obvious nudge towards the Snap Chat generation, Apple also announced a couple of clandestine new bits, including Invisible Ink: messages only revealed when a user swipes over it. As you can already do in Notes, you'll be able to scrawl these using your finger.

Bubble Effects

Another playful tool designed to alter the size of the text bubble dependent on how loud or quiet users want to be. Right in time for the new football season and your mate's incessant 'Goal' updates. GREAT.

Rich Links

The other overdue addition is Rich Links, allowing you to see media such as pictures and videos without following a link and having to leave the conversation.

Tapback

As for the game-changers, there’s the Tapback button, allowing users to send a quick thumbs up, heart or laughing icon in response to a text, along the same lines as those you’ve probably been using insensitively on friends' Facebook posts.

A smattering of new additions which some might see as overkill, while others might see as long overdue. Let us know what you think below, or, you know, text us.