WhatsApp today announced a bunch of new updates for its mobile apps and the Web client. WhatsApp for Android and iPhone will get new features such as animated stickers and QR codes along with an improved video calling functionality over the coming weeks. The Facebook-owned chat app has also said WhatsApp for Jio Phone will get Status support. Additionally, WhatsApp for Web is finally receiving Dark Mode.
New features on WhatsApp
WhatsApp users will soon be able to communicate with animated stickers. The development comes days after a report suggested the testing of this feature on the platform. The chat app will also introduce QR Codes for users to seamlessly add new contacts.
“Soon when you meet someone new, you will be able to scan their QR code to add them to your contacts. No more tapping in their digits one at a time,” the company said in a statement.
Additionally, users will be able to enlarge a participant’s video to full screen during a group video call. WhatsApp in April increased the group call limit to eight participants.
The platform will further add a video icon in groups with up to eight members. By tapping on the video icon, users will be able to start a group video call directly will all the eight members instead of individually adding them. The company had introduced a similar feature in April where the video icon was added to WhatsApp groups with up to four members.
Notably, KaiOS users will soon be able to update WhatsApp status. This means that Jio phone users and other KaiOS users in India will be able to share updates via WhatsApp Status that is limited for only 24 hours.
Dark mode for WhatsApp Web and Desktop app
Dark mode is making its way to WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp desktop app. The Dark mode arrived on mobile apps back in March this year.
As mentioned, the new features will reach users “over the next few weeks”, with the latest versions of WhatsApp.
In 2020, will WhatsApp get the killer feature that every Indian is waiting for? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.