Greetings to everyone who follows WhatsApp news! The WhatsApp team unveiled a number of exciting new features last week. In this digest, we’ve compiled all the key announcements: from long-awaited storage management tools to new ways to interact with statuses and channels.
Contents
- Managing Storage Directly from Chat
- Sticker Reactions to Statuses
- Cover for Your Profile
- Cross-Platform Groups
- Creating and Saving Stickers
- Channel Invites
- Conclusion
Managing Storage Directly from Chat
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that allows users to manage storage from the chat details screen.
How it will work
The new feature adds a “Manage Storage” option directly to the chat details screen. This option duplicates the functionality of the section of the same name in General Settings, but is much more accessible. Users can view all media files, sort them by size, and delete unnecessary ones without leaving a specific chat.
Why this is needed
This feature is designed to simplify and speed up device storage cleaning. Previously, many people didn’t use this feature because it was buried deep in the settings. Now, by seeing which chats are taking up the most space, users can target them for targeted cleaning.
Status
The feature is available to a limited number of beta testers on iOS and continues to roll out gradually.
Sticker Reactions to Statuses
WhatsApp is working on a feature that will allow users to react to status updates with stickers.
How it will work
When creating a status, users will be able to add an interactive sticker with any emoji to a photo or video. Followers viewing the status will be able to tap the sticker to instantly send a reaction to the author. All reactions are private and protected by end-to-end encryption.
Why this is needed
This feature is designed to make interacting with status updates more visual, simple, and expressive. This will make communication more interactive.
Status
This feature is currently in active development and is being tested on iOS. It is expected to be available in a future update.
Cover for Your Profile
WhatsApp is working on a feature that will allow users to set a cover photo for their profile.
How it will work
WhatsApp is developing a feature that will allow users to set a cover photo for their profile, similar to what business accounts already have. Users will be able to upload an image that will be prominently displayed at the top of their profile. Flexible privacy settings (who will see the cover photo) are also being developed: “Everyone,” “My Contacts,” or “Nobody.”
Why this is needed
This feature is designed to give users more opportunities for self-expression and the visual design of their profile. This is an important step towards personalization, especially with the upcoming launch of the nickname system.
Status
The feature is currently in development for Android, but is expected to be available on iOS in the future.
Cross-Platform Groups
WhatsApp is working on a feature that will allow users to create third-party groups in accordance with European regulations.
How it will work
As part of its compliance with the European Digital Markets Act (DMA), WhatsApp is working to support cross-platform communication. Users will be able to create group chats that include people using other supported messaging apps. To participate, all participants will need to enable interoperability.
Why this is needed
This feature aims to blur the boundaries between different messaging apps and allow users to communicate with friends and colleagues without switching between apps.
Status
This feature is in active development and will initially be launched for users in the European region.
Creating and Saving Stickers
WhatsApp is introducing a feature for creating and directly saving stickers to personal packs.
How it will work
The process of creating your own stickers has become more streamlined. Previously, a completed sticker could only be sent directly to a chat and only then saved. Now, there’s a button that allows you to immediately save the created sticker to one of your personal packs for later use.
Why this is needed
This is to simplify managing your personal sticker collection and make the creation process more organized. Users will be able to gradually build themed collections without cluttering their chats with sample stickers.
Status
The feature for adding stickers to packs was released in the stable version of WhatsApp for iOS and continues to expand.
Channel Invites
WhatsApp is working on a feature that will allow channel administrators to invite their contacts to subscribe to their channels.
How it will work
Channel administrators will receive a new tool for audience growth. An “Invite Contacts” option will appear in the channel information interface. This will allow you to send personalized subscription invitations directly from your contacts list. The invitation will arrive as a chat message with a button for quickly joining the channel.
Why this is needed
To help administrators quickly grow their audience by engaging with personal contacts who may be interested in the channel’s topic. This is a more direct and personalized promotion method than simply searching through the directory.
Status
This feature is in development and is being tested in the beta version for Android.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s activity over the past week clearly illustrates its multifaceted development strategy. Alongside minor improvements, such as streamlined storage and sticker management, the messenger’s developers are actively working on implementing major innovations: preparing for cross-platform interaction and expanding social functionality through statuses and channels.
We at GREEN-API monitor all WhatsApp updates to provide you with the latest news and solutions for automating your business processes. Stay tuned to stay up-to-date with all the latest developments!