The popular messenger gets in several places WhatsApp a fresh coat of paint. In focus: the status function, which can be used to send messages with a standing time of 24 hours.
With each new post, users can now individually specify which contacts the message should be displayed to. The last selection is then saved and used as the default for the next status update. Previously, this could only be determined equally for all contributions – differentiations were not possible.
This is what the new privacy setting looks like (left), and voice messages will soon be possible in the status (right)
Apparently, WhatsApp has copied something: Messenger competitor Signal, which has made privacy its core brand, has long offered individual setting options for the recipients of status messages.
With WhatsApp, posts could previously consist of text, videos or animated GIFs. That too will be expanded. Voice messages up to 30 seconds long can also be published soon. There should also be a preview image when you put a link in the status.
In the future, green rings will indicate which contact has uploaded a new status (left); the screenshot on the right shows the new link preview
So that you don’t miss anything, WhatsApp introduces a new notification: the profile ring. As soon as a contact shares a new status message, a green circle appears around their profile picture – both in chat and group lists and in the contact info. That was also the case with Signal.
Advantage of the competitor: The story function, which annoys many, can also be completely deactivated there.
It will also be possible in the future to react directly to a status with emojis by swiping up on the message. This was the “most desired function” by users, said the Facebook group Meta. Reason: The feature has long since become second nature to Instagram.
The new functions are already being rolled out to users worldwide, on both Android and iOS devices. The update should be available to all users within the next few weeks.
