WhatsApp, the communication software, has added a slew of new capabilities for chats, calls, and channels. For example, you’ll be able to know which of your group chat pals are online at any one time, and you’ll be able to avoid becoming overwhelmed with app notifications.
New chat features include an indicator in group conversations that reveals which people are currently online, allowing you to identify who is available to talk to. If you’re in a very active group chat (hi, overwhelming family groups), you may customize the notifications you receive, such as having them sent only when someone writes to you directly or responds to your prior messages. Here’s a complete list of new chat features:
- Online indicator for group chats.
- New settings for limiting alerts, using @mentions, replies, and messages
- Create events in one-on-one chats, respond “maybe”, pin an event in a chat, and more.
- View other people’s reactions and select the one you want to convey.
- iPhone users may now scan and edit documents directly from the app.
- On iPhone, you can now set WhatsApp as your default message and calling app.
More users can now be added to calls, and video calls can be zoomed in. WhatsApp has also updated its video call functionality, which should now freeze less frequently and provide higher-quality images.
Here are all the new call features:
- Pinch to zoom in for a closer look at videos
- Add a user to a call from a chat
- Enjoy higher-quality video calls
Finally, there are new channel features: channel managers can now record and distribute short video snippets of up to 60 seconds, and voice communications in the channel will be summarised in text. Here is the whole list:
- Record and share videos up to a minute long
- Get a written summary of voice message updates
- Share a unique QR code to your channel with followers and friends
