WhatsApp update adds new features to make your ‘Status Updates’ more personal; allowing users to pin messages within chats and so much more
WhatsApp keeps updating its features to make it more user-friendly and advanced in comparison to other social media apps and it has been quite successful in impressing the users worldwide. People’s favorite text/video chatting app WhatsApp has unveiled brand-new features for its popular Status feature aimed at enhancing the status update experience and making it more secure and customizable.
The brand-new features include a Private Audience Selector, which allows users to select the privacy settings for each status they share. Notably, some of the newly introduced features are already available in a few popular messaging apps.
However, this time, the Meta-owned platform has rolled out some beta updates to the app after repetitive requests. WhatsApp’s Status feature is a popular way to share updates with your family and friends or close contacts to let them know what you are up to. It works the same way as Stories work on Instagram.
Every status that may include photos, videos, text, GIFs and more disappears in 24 hours. And, just like your personal conversation and calls, your WhatsApp status has complete protection of end-to-end encryption so you can share them securely and privately.
The brand-new features include – an audience selector, voice messages, status reactions for quick responses, along with status profile rings, and link previews for more visual status updates. And with end-to-end encryption in WhatsApp Status, these new features can make the experience even more personalised and secure. Let’s take a look on what the fuss is all about.
PRIVATE AUDIENCE SELECTOR
This feature is built to you give the control to share your Status with only a set of audience. “We’re providing users with the flexibility to update their privacy settings per status to choose who views their status each time they update it,” according to WhatsApp in an official statement and added that the most recent set of people you will select for audience will be saved for future updates.
VOICE STATUS
The instant messaging platform now allows users to record and share voice messages for up to 30 seconds on the platform’s Status feature making it a great way to share personal updates in a more expressive and natural way. “Voice status can now be utilised for sending more personal updates, especially if you feel more comfortable expressing yourself or thoughts by talking rather than typing,” according to the Meta-owned company.
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STATUS REACTIONS
Now you love reacting to everything, don’t you? So, guess what, this one’s for you! Now reacting, using the new Status Reactions feature, just got easier which allows users to quickly respond to status updates from their family, friends, or any contacts they have. WhatsApp users just have to swipe up to any status and tap on one of eight available emoji reactions to quickly react to any status. In addition, users can also respond to a status using text, voice messages, and even stickers.
STATUS PROFILE RINGS FOR NEW UPDATES
You obviously don’t want to miss a status update from your loved ones because what if, if they update something and then remove it for some reason? With the new status profile ring, you will be at least notified before it’s too late. The new status profile informs users straight from the chat list. “This ring will be available around your contact’s profile picture whenever they share a status update and will be visible in the chat lists, group participant lists, and contact info,” explained the Meta-owned messaging platform in an official statement.
LINK PREVIEWS
Some people like to post a link in their status and share it. But now, we will be able to see a visual preview of the link content, just like when you send a message, making your status look better and more visually appealing. It also provides a better idea of what the link is all about before your contacts (viewers) will click.
WHATSAPP NEW FEATURES LAUNCHING IN 2023
| FEATURES | DEVICES |
| Companion mode | Android and iPhone |
| View Once text | Android, iPhone, Windows, and Mac |
| Picture-in-Picture for video calls | iOS iPhone |
| Voice notes on status | Android and iPhone |
| Call tab on WhatsApp desktop | Windows and Mac |
| WhatsApp business directory | Android and iPhone |
| Android and iPhone | Windows and Mac |
WHATSAPP’S INCREASED FILE SHARING LIMIT FEATURE
Earlier, one of the disadvantages or the ‘ONLY’ disadvantage of using WhatsApp was the lower file- sharing limit for which users complained frequently, requesting them (WhatsApp) to increase the file sharing limit. And guess what? It’s done.
Now, WhatsApp finally increased the file-sharing limit from 100MB to 2GB in May 2022.
However, majority of users weren’t aware about the new feature since WhatsApp didn’t advertise the upgradation. So, now WhatsApp plans to bring an in-app banner, included in the upcoming updates, to let the users know that they can now share files up to 2GB that will appear in the file browsing menu.
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