Chances are, you’ve probably already heard of Handcent SMS, considering the Android Market statistics show that the app has seen anywhere between 10 and 50 million downloads. For many, this go-to app has completely replaced Android’s stock Messaging application for a long time. The app features tons of customization and allows users to completely tailor the SMS and MMS experience to their liking.
We’ve just stumbled on a little gem in the XDA Forums that will surely please Handcent users and fans. There is a new version available, though you won’t find it on the Android Market. Handcent 4.0 Public Beta has been released to the masses, thanks to Calcobrena and the Handcent_Market team.
Wondering what this update entails? Have a look below:
New Features
- Handcent Talk – Allows you to bind your phone number and send text messages for free using the Handcent network.
- Greater customization (particularly with widgets and the pop-up window but not everything is implemented yet)
- Improved compatibility with iOS messaging from iPhones (iOS compatible group messaging planned)
- Full ICS Support
Confirmed Issues
- Some modded users may experience theme compatibility issues when using themes of white text on dark backgrounds.
So, if you’d like to give this beta version a trial run, head on over to the original post for the.APK file. will replace and upgrade your current version of Handcent 3.9.x, so there won’t be two instances of the app in your app drawer. If you experience any issues, you can always uninstall completely, then re-download the app from the Market to get yourself back to familiar territory.
As a long-time user of Handcent, I’m glad to see the developers are still hard at work making this application better with each update. I’ll be keeping my eye on this thread to see what’s in store for the future!
