Whatsapp is one of the most used apps in our daily lives. From the days of its barebone infancy, the app has come a long way in terms of features and user experience. Although many other instant messengers are there in the market, Whatsapp is still the undisputed king.
Ever since its acquisition of Whatsapp, Facebook has equipped the app with frequent updates to leverage the best out of this golden goose. That said, not all features add value. and many of the new additions stay hidden or disabled. Opting into the beta channel is the sole way to taste them before their wide rollout.
Anyhow, we figured that you might wish to know what are these new updates and features. So, here we have curated a list of top 10+ upcoming Whatsapp updates. Check them out and try them if you find them interesting.
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10+ Upcoming WhatsApp Updates
1. Ads on Whatsapp Status/ Stories
Starting off with the nefarious one, Ads. Yes, Facebook has revealed that they are planning to introduce Ads on the WhatsApp status/stories, just like in Instagram stories. This would be the new monetization medium for the company as the app is free to use. In the Facebook Marketing Summit in the Netherlands, the company announced that the Ads would arrive in 2020. The code has been identified within WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.18.305.
2. Night/Dark mode
One of the longtime wishes of the fans could hit the instant-messaging app soon. Yes, both the Android and iOS variants could get the Dark mode just like Youtube and Twitter. WABetaInfo unfurled the code for the Dark theme within the 2.19.82 beta version, which is disabled by default for now. However, this means the app could sport the same after any of the oncoming updates.
ALSO READ: How to activate dark mode on WhatsApp
3. WhatsApp Pay
WhatsApp Pay could be the next big thing from the Social Media giant due to its huge user base. Pavel Naiya, Senior Analyst, Devices, and Ecosystem at Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research, predicts this P2P platform would become an instant threat for products like Paytm Wallet and other UPI-dependant apps. However, the same could take a few months to be official in the country. “In response to India’s payments data circular, we’ve built a system that stores payments-related data locally in India,” a WhatsApp spokesperson tipped IANS.
4. Share Contact Info via QR
Just like Instagram’s Nametag feature, you could share your contact details via a QR code generated right within the app. So, you won’t have to spell your WhatsApp number digit by digit. If you’re concerned about your safety, simply revoke the QR code and stop it from showing the QR code to future users. The same feature has been spotted in version 2.19.151.
5. Reverse Image search & In-app browsing
To put shackles on the fake images circulating via the app, the company has come forward with a reverse image search feature. You could upload an image to Google, and find out the other sources of the image. This helps you to identify fake from real images.
The same update brings an in-app browser for opening a link without getting redirected to another web browser app. You won’t be able to screenshot or video record while using the in-app browser. This was spotted in beta version 2.19.74.
6. Doodle UI and Status Emojis
WhatsApp Doodle UI has been updated with new tabs: Stickers and Emojis. Doodle UI refers to the image editing screen in which you could add emojis on the image so far. However, with the new update, you could also add stickers. Furthermore, the stickers are now grouped by favorites and categories. You would also be able to search for stickers or emojis. This update is discovered in version v2.19.106 beta.
7. Play videos and Preview Stickers in the notification
Currently, you have to open an app to play received videos and view stickers. As far as stickers are concerned, until now when you receive one, it is showed as a heart emoji in the notification shade. However, with this upcoming update, the app will let you preview the videos as well as stickers right in the notification, without opening the app.
This feature has surfaced in WhatsApp beta version 2.18.102.5 in iOS. It could soon visit the Android variant also.
8. WhatsApp Business Catalog
Now companies can exhibit their entire product lineup as a digital brochure via WhatsApp Business. So, users could browse through and purchase straight from the app. Facebook has announced that the WhatsApp product catalog will be integrated with the existing Facebook Business Manager catalog.
Other Important Features
WhatsApp has already brought a barrage of features focussed on improving user experience as well as privacy and security. It already marks frequently forwarded messages to highlight viral messages, a private reply option to an individual in a group chat, enhanced group voice and video calling, Group Invite system, fact-check tipline, and more. Few other features such as Cleaner album layout on iOS, Profile Picture Protection Guard on iOS, Ranking of favorite contracts, Interaction based Status sorting are also en route.
In feature number 6. I really miss those .