Tag: whatsapp update

WhatsApp Announces ‘View Once’ Voice Messages to Send Disappearing Audio Messages

WhatsApp introduced View Once messages for text, photos, and videos back in 2021. Now, the Meta-owned instant messaging platform is expanding this feature to voice messages. With this feature, users will be able to set voice messages to disappear after their recipient listens to them. Like the View Once photos and videos, View Once voice messages will be marked with the “one-time” icon and can only be played once. View Once voice messages will reach global users over the coming days.

Meta on Thursday (December 7) announced the addition of View Once voice messages via a blog post. The feature lets users send a voice message that will disappear once the recipient listens to it. This functionality can be ideal for sharing sensitive information, planning surprises, and sending confidential information like credit card details, and streaming app credentials without concerns about them being recorded or shared. The View Once voice messages will be marked with the “one-time” icon and can only be played once.

WhatsApp says View Once is an example of the company’s continued privacy innovation. Like the self-destructing photos and videos, WhatsApp’s disappearing voice messages are claimed to be protected with end-to-end encryption by default. The View Once voice messages are rolling out globally over the coming days.

How to send a View Once voice message on WhatsApp

  • Open a chat window on WhatsApp.
  • Tap and hold on the microphone icon in the bottom-right corner of the chatbox.
  • Swipe up to lock the recording Tap on and hold the record.
  • Tap the stylised View Once icon.
  • Tap Send once you’ve finished recording your message.

After the recipient hears the voice clip, the voice message will disappear from the chat. It will be replaced with text that reads “opened”. The View Once messages will vanish from the chat if the recipient does not open them within 14 days after they were sent. Also, users can not forward, save, star, or share voice messages that were sent or received with view once media is enabled.

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WhatsApp Might Soon Let You Post HD Videos, Photos in Status

WhatsApp rolled out support for HD (high definition) photos and videos in August this year. Now, the Meta-owned instant messaging platform seems to be in the process of improving this functionality. WhatsApp is reportedly testing a new feature that will allow users to share HD images and videos in their status updates. The upcoming security feature has been spotted in WhatsApp for Android beta version 2.23.26.3, which is available via the Google Play Beta programme.

A new report by WhatsApp features tracker WABetaInfo claims that WhatsApp will soon let people upload high-quality photos and videos to Status. The messaging platform is reportedly rolling out the update via the Google Play Beta programme, with the 2.23.26.3 beta version for Android. Currently, the messaging platform supports upload of compressed photos and videos on a users Status. This is a major disadvantage compared to competing services like iMessage, and Telegram.

The report also includes a preview of the HD status feature. As per the screenshot, the feature can be accessed from the drawing editor. The feature is not available for testers now and is expected to be introduced in a future beta version of the app.

WhatsApp brought the option to send photos and videos in HD quality in August this year. The feature allows to send videos in 720p resolution instead of the standard 480p resolution.

The proposed HD status feature comes amid several other significant WhatsApp updates. The Mark Zuckerberg-led company is also reportedly developing a new feature that will allow iPhone users to share their audio while sharing their screen during video calls. This will let users listen to video and music audio together when someone shares their screen in video calls. Further, it is said to be working on an optional feature that could let users share WhatsApp statuses directly to Instagram.

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WhatsApp Could Soon Let You Listen to Video and Music Audio Together on Video Calls

WhatsApp rolled out screen-sharing functionality for video calls earlier this year. The long-awaited feature allows users to share screens during video calls just like Google Meet or Zoom. Now, the Meta-owned instant messaging platform is reportedly bringing additions to this functionality. WhatsApp could soon let you share music audio during a video call while sharing your screen. This feature was reportedly spotted in the WhatsApp beta for iOS version 23.25.10.72 which is available on the TestFlight app.

As per a report by WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo, the app is working on a new feature that will allow iPhone users to share their audio while sharing their screen during video calls. This will let users listen to video and music audio together when someone shares their screen in video calls. The ability to share video and music audio in real-time during a screen-sharing session is expected to increase the interactions on the platform — especially during presentations and virtual gatherings.

The video and music audio sharing feature spotted in development on WhatsApp
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

 

The new feature was spotted on the latest beta version of WhatsApp for iOS 23.25.10.72 that is available via the official TestFlight beta programme. The actual functionality and the feature are yet to be rolled out to users on the beta testing channel as it is still in development, according to the feature tracker.

The publication has included a preview of the share music audio feature that appears to be sourced by enabling hidden features that are still being worked on. WABetaInfo also states that the feature won’t work with WhatsApp voice calls, and it will also be unavailable on video calls where the video is disabled.

WhatsApp started to support screen sharing in video calls in August to compete with video-conferencing platforms. This functionality can be accessed by tapping the share icon. The company has also started allowing landscape mode in video calls to support this functionality.

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WhatsApp Improves Group Calls Experience, Lets Users Call Up to 31 Participants With Latest Update: Report

WhatsApp is rolling out a new update to users on iOS that improves the group calling experience on the popular messaging platform. The Meta-owned chat application previously increased the number of group call participants to 32, allowing more users to join a call. Until now, users could only choose to invite 15 group members to join a call. After installing the latest WhatsApp for iOS update, users should be able to invite up to 31 group participants to join a call, according to details shared by a feature tracker.

According to feature tracker WABetaInfo, the latest stable version of the app, WhatsApp for iOS 23.22.72, comes with one notable change — the ability to initiate a group conversation with up to 31 participants. The changelog for the app doesn’t actually mention the new limit on calling group members, but includes other recently added features and functionality.

With the latest update, WhatsApp now lets you start a group call with up to 31 participants — effectively making it easy to start a group call than on older versions of the app.  Previously, WhatsApp would only allow you to initiate a group call with only up to 15 participants — other members could join the call manually. 

Gadgets 360 was unable to confirm that the option to start a new group call on the app allows one to pick up to 31 participants as the latest version of the app available in India at the time of writing was version 23.21.79 — this is the version of the app that was released last week. If the feature is not enabled on your phone after updating to the latest release, you might have to wait for a few days (or weeks) before the new functionality rolls out to your account or app.

WhatsApp has been rolling out new features over the past few weeks, including the ability to log in with multiple accounts on the same smartphone and support for passkeys on Android. Users who have two phone numbers will finally be able to sign up for WhatsApp with their second number, using the same app.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp is making it much easier for users to log back in to the app on Android with support for passkeys and their fingerprint — a secure form of authentication designed to eliminate the use of passwords and use public key cryptography to safeguard user information. Support for passkeys has begun rolling to on Android and the feature integrates with Google’s password manager — there’s no word on whether this feature will be available on iOS as part of a future update.

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WhatsApp Rolls Out ‘View Once’ Mode for Voice Notes to Beta Testers on iOS, Android

WhatsApp is having a busy week. The Android version of the popular messaging app brought support for passkeys on Tuesday and introduced a bottom tab interface earlier in the week. Now, the Meta-owned instant messaging platform is rolling out a feature that would allow users on both iOS and Android to set voice notes as ‘view once,’ just like the app already permits for other forms of media. The feature is currently in the beta testing phase and should arrive for the wider userbase in the coming days.

According to a report from WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo, the app is rolling out a new privacy feature to beta users, bringing self-destructing voice notes. WhatsApp users can already choose the option to ‘view once’ while sending images and video to their contacts on the app. Now the same feature is set to arrive for voice notes as well.

The feature is reportedly rolling out to select beta testers on WhatsApp beta for Android via the Google Play Store and WhatsApp beta for iOS via the TestFlight app. Compatible updates for the ‘view once’ mode feature for audio messages include WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.21.15 and 2.23.22.4. On iOS, WhatsApp beta 23.21.1.73 is reportedly compatible with the update.

As mentioned before, the feature is currently only available to some beta testers and a wider rollout is expected in the coming days. Voice notes with the ‘view once’ mode on cannot be saved or forwarded to other users. WABetaInfo also included screenshots of the feature in testing, showing the familiar ‘view once’ icon in the voice message chat bar. Tapping the icon will send the voice note in the ‘view once’ mode. The voice note sent with the feature enabled cannot be replayed, saved or shared.

WhatsApp has been boosting its privacy features in recent times. The app was recently reported to be working on a new secret code feature for locked chats, which would allow users to create a custom password for their protected chat folders.

This week, WhatsApp also rolled out support for passkeys on Android, which lets users log back into their account securely using biometric authentication or their device PIN. With this feature, users could use the face unlock or the fingerprint scanner on their Android phones to log back in to their WhatsApp account with a passkey stored on their device.

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WhatsApp Introduces New Bottom Tab Interface for Users on Android After Months of Beta Testing

WhatsApp has begun rolling out a change to the app’s interface on Android, that will make it much easier to use the popular chat application with one hand. The company first introduced a bottom-tabbed design to beta testers of its Android app earlier this year — the iOS version of the app already has tabs at the bottom — and the modified interface is now rolling out to users on the stable update channel. WhatsApp also recently started testing a redesigned interface for iOS and Android with new colours and accents on the beta version of the app.

After updating to WhatsApp for Android 2.23.20.76 via the Google Play store, the new bottom-tabbed interface has rolled out to multiple Gadgets 360 staff members on Monday, while many others can still see the original navigation bar at the top that allows you to switch between the Chats, Calls, and Status tabs, along with a smaller tab with the Communities icon on the left. WhatsApp first introduced the relocated tab to beta testers back in May.

WhatsApp’s new bottom-tabbed interface appears to be slowly rolling out to all users
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Gadgets 360

 

The bottom tab interface on WhatsApp features four tabs — Chats, Updates, Communities, and Calls. These tabs also include icons — these were previously unavailable when the tabs were located at the top of the screen. The most notable improvement of the new navigation system is that users can now easily switch to different tabs while using the phone with one hand.

However, the latest update that adds the bottom tab interface also prevents users from swiping across tabs — the older design that featured the tabs at the top of the interface allowed users to slide their finger across the chat list towards the tab they wanted to switch to. With the bottom-tab interface, it appears that users will have to tap to switch tabs instead of swiping.

Last week, WhatsApp started rolling out other subtle changes to the interface for users on the beta channel. Gadgets 360 was able to confirm that the iconic green bar at the top of the app on Android has been removed, in favour of an all-white interface, in light mode, which in turn allows the whole app to appear dark grey when dark mode is enabled.

WhatsApp has also tweaked some of the colour accents on the recent beta release for Android, making the green colours slightly brighter and more vivid, especially when dark mode is turned on. The app’s ‘solid’ icons were recently replaced with ‘outline’ icons for voice and video calls inside individual chats, as well as the camera icon on the main chat list.

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WhatsApp Channels With Directory Search, Reaction Support Rolling Out to 150 Countries Including India

WhatsApp Channels — the Meta-owned messaging service’s latest feature aimed at increasing engagement on the platform — is rolling out to users in India and several other countries. Designed as a one-way broadcast tool, these channels allow users to share updates with a large number of users on WhatsApp. At the moment, users can search from a directory to find a channel created by their favourite content creator, business, or celebrity. Members will be able to react to messages sent by the channel owner.

The Meta-owned messaging service announced on Wednesday that WhatsApp Channels are rolling out to users in 150 countries, including India. The feature, which was spotted in development earlier this year, should be available to all users in the coming weeks. Meta Co-Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the news on his own channel, and users can join the official WhatsApp Channel to get updates about the platform. Instagram already supports a similar feature and rival platform Telegram also allows users to join one-way broadcast channels. 

WhatsApp Channels are displayed in a new tab that will show up on iOS and Android smartphones called Updates. This tab will include both WhatsApp Status messages as well as the new WhatsApp Channels feature. Users can also access an enhanced director that are filtered based on their country and see channels that are popular based on follower count, most active, and new on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Channels can be joined by users who have a valid invite link. In order to protect user privacy, the app will not disclose the phone number of the user who created the channel. Members will not be able to see others who have joined the same channel, and their phone numbers will remain hidden from the channel owner.

Messages sent via WhatsApp Channels will be displayed for a period of 30 days, according to the company. Channel members can react to messages that are shared, but they cannot respond to them. Messages that are broadcast in a channel aren’t protected by end-to-end encryption. WhatsApp says that all other forms of communication like direct messages, group chats, calls, status messages, and attachments will continue to be protected by end-to-end encryption.

In order to popularise the feature and drive engagement of the new WhatsApp Channels feature, Meta has partnered with the Indian Cricket team and celebrities like Diljit Dosanjh, Neha Kakkar, and Katrina Kaif who have all created channels on the app. WhatsApp said will allow any user to create a channel in the coming months.

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WhatsApp Rolls Out New Instant Video Message Toggle for Android, iOS: Here’s How It Works

WhatsApp has been spotted rolling out a new toggle for the recently introduced instant video message feature. The messaging platform added the ability to record and send real-time video messages last month. The feature, which allows users to send a short video of up to 60 seconds, is enabled by default in the app’s settings. However, the latest WhatsApp beta update for Android and iOS has reportedly added a new toggle in the app’s settings that will give more control to users.

According to a report by WhatsApp development tracker WABetaInfo, WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.18.1.70 and WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.18.21 update has added a new toggle for the instant video messaging feature. It will let users enable or disable the feature manually by going to the app’s settings and switching to sending voice messages instead. However, users will continue to receive video messages even with the feature being turned off on their phones.

The report also added that many users have spotted the feature being turned off. Hence, those willing to send instant video messages are recommended to check WhatsApp settings.

Users can download the latest WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store and WhatsApp beta for iOS from the TestFlight app to access this new feature. It will reportedly be rolled out to more users in the coming days.

The instant messaging app had recently rolled out the ability to record short videos and send them as messages. As part of the feature, users can see a video recorder icon next to the text box (like the voice recording feature). Upon tapping that, they can record and send a real-time video message of up to 60 seconds. Notably, these messages are end-to-end encrypted as well. By default, the videos play without sound upon being received. To turn on the sound for the video message, users are required to tap on the video again. WhatsApp already offers the option to send images or pre-recorded videos as media attachments in texts. 

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WhatsApp Reportedly Testing New Message Text Formatting Tools in Beta: All Details

WhatsApp is reportedly working on new text formatting tools that could benefit coders, programmers, and software developers. The new feature was recently spotted in the latest WhatsApp for Desktop beta update is said to include three new formatting tools. These new tools will help users share and read codes easily on WhatsApp. The tools could also be available to Android and iOS users in the future. Recently, WhatsApp rolled out HD photo sharing for all users on the stable channel.

According to a report by WhatsApp development tracker WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is working on three new text formatting tools that will make reading and sharing technical codes easy on the platform. The report suggests that a “Code Block” feature will be added to make technical codes readable on WhatsApp. It could help software developers, programmers, and others share code snippets on the app.

Meanwhile, a “Quote” feature is also said to be included as part of this new tool set. With this formatting tool, users will reportedly be able to refer back to specific messages or responses in a chat. The report also says that this under-development quote text formatting tool will enable users to quote a specific part of a text and reply to it directly, which is different than the current quote text feature available on the app.

The third tool is said to allow users to create a list of items within a message on WhatsApp. The report also includes a screenshot of the new formatting tools. 

Photo Credit: WABetaInf

However, there’s no word from WhatsApp on when these features will be made available to all beta testers. Currently, the tools are in development in beta. As with all features that are in development, the messaging platform could roll it out as part of a beta update before releasing it to the stable channel or may drop the feature altogether.

WhatsApp recently rolled out HD photo sharing for all users. This will enable users to share high-quality and high-resolution images in their WhatsApp chats on Android, iOS, WhatsApp Web, and desktop. The images sent in HD will carry a small ‘HD’ icon. Additionally, Meta has also announced that support for HD videos is coming soon. 

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