Meta is developing a few new features for its messaging app WhatsApp. These new features have been discovered in the latest WhatsApp beta builds, but they’re not available widely. Only a few select beta users appear to have received them, and that’s enough to give us a glimpse of what might eventually come to the public app.
First, WhatsApp beta version 2.23.9.13 for Android added an option for users to share their status updates to Facebook stories directly from WhatsApp. Although this was already possible, the new beta update automates the process through a new toggle named “Always share to Facebook story.”
Another new feature spotted in a recent WhatsApp beta build (via WaBetaInfo) is a privacy checkup screen. The feature, available for select testers in WhatsApp beta version 2.23.9.15, is meant to help users better understand and manage privacy settings.
The checkup screen lets users choose who can contact them, control access to personal info, make chats more private, and enable more account protection tools.
Additional new features spotted in iOS beta builds
Aside from these WhatsApp beta features available to select users via recent releases for Android OS, another interesting tool was found in beta builds for WhatsApp on iOS.
Meta seems to plan on bringing a channel broadcasting system similar to a one-way newsletter to WhatsApp. The app may also get a reworked “Status” tab that may become the “Updates” tab. Here, users can channel messages and see statuses. Channel members can only receive messages but they can’t reply to messages. (via ZDNet)
New additions to the app for iOS are unlikely to remain exclusive to iOS, but they may arrive later for the Android app. But there’s no way to be sure how future beta builds will develop, so we’ll have to wait and see. Likewise, there’s no ETA on these new features.
