Everyone's favourite WhatsApp feature leakers WABetaInfo has revealed that WhatsApp Business is now available for iOS beta users. Previously, the app was only available for Android devices. WhatsApp Business is a tool for companies to easily communicate with customers. According to the report, beta testers can migrate conversations from WhatsApp or use a different phone number to set up WhatsApp Business. WABetaInfo notes that the app is expected to roll out on the App Store in a few weeks. Feature image: WhatsApp
WhatsApp will be launching a Group Invitation feature in the near future, according to WABetaInfo. This means that you may soon be able to have more control over your privacy settings regarding group invitations. The feature will allow you to choose who, if anyone, can add you to their group chats. If your privacy setting does not allow you to automatically be added, you will receive a request to join instead. WABetaInfo also reports that the feature will first appear in iOS Beta updates. Feature image: Memeburn
WhatsApp doesn't want anyone who isn't you reading your messages. On Tuesday the company announced that iPhone users can now enable Touch ID and Face ID on the messaging service. This means that, as an iPhone user, you can now lock and unlock your WhatsApp and only gain access with your fingerprint or face. "At WhatsApp, we care deeply about private messaging, and today we're excited to introduce Touch ID and Face ID on iPhone to help prevent someone from taking your phone and reading your messages," the company announced on its blog. You can access the new feature under the...
WhatsApp Web has now gained the picture-in-picture feature from the mobile app, according to a report by WABetaInfo, This means that WhatsApp Web users will be able to watch videos that have been sent via an external link through a pop-up window within the chat itself. All you have to do is tap the preview picture that loads when you receive/send the link. The WhatsApp feature leak site also notes that video links from YouTube, Instagram, Streamable and Facebook are currently supported. The feature is set to roll out with WhatsApp Web's next update, namely version 0.3.2041. Feature image: Memeburn
To celebrate WhatsApp Business' first birthday, the company has expanded popular features from the mobile platform to the web and desktop. This means that companies using WhatsApp Business now have access to features like Quick Replies, Labels and Chat List Filtering via WhatsApp Web and desktop app. Quick Replies allow businesses to send out responses to common questions, while Labels help organize chats and Filtering manages unread, group or broadcast messages. "Using these features on a computer helps businesses save time and get back to their customers quickly," the company said in a blog post. According to WhatsApp, over five million businesses now...
WhatsApp is rolling out its revised forwarding limit worldwide in an effort to curb the spread of false information. The feature was released in India last year, and limits users to five forwarding shares. This means that when you receive one of those "kidnappers are in your area" chain messages, you will only be able to spread the fake news to five other contacts. "Starting today, all users on the latest versions of WhatsApp can now forward to only five chats at once, which will help keep WhatsApp focused on private messaging with close contacts," WhatsApp said in an updated blog post. The...
A future version of WhatsApp may be secured, locked and unlocked by your fingerprint, according to data mined by WABetaInfo. The WhatsApp enthusiast blog in early January revealed that the Facebook-owned company is looking to use Android's authentication system to better secure the app. Users will enroll their fingerprint to their device, check a box that will activate the feature, and touch the sensor with that same finger to "unlock" the app. Read more: The WhatsApp questions you were too embarrassed to ask, answered According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is also working on an authentication method that uses Apple's Face ID and Touch ID...
Delving into the worlds of WhatsApp updates, WABetaInfo revealed that the app's latest beta has a new voice messaging feature. Beta version 2.18.362 includes “consecutive voice messages”, allowing users to listen to voice notes continuously if they have received more than one back to back. “When you start to play the first one, WhatsApp will automatically play all other consecutive voice messages as a sequence, so it won’t be necessary to press play on each message,” WABetaInfo explains. The website also provided a video example of the playback, noting that not all users will be able to see this feature in beta...
WhatsApp is officially rolling out its new stickers feature. So, that means over the next few weeks we’re all going to be able to communicate using animated stickers on the messaging platform. “Whether with a smiling teacup or a crying broken heart, stickers help you share your feelings in a way that you can't always express with words,” said WhatsApp in a blog post. The company has also made it possible for users to use third-party sticker packs to expand their choice of stickers, this feature also allows developers to make their own stickers too. “To do this, we've included a set of...
According to a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has been developing new features in the form of Silent Mode and Vacation Mode. Silent Mode is already active on all WhatsApp accounts, according to the revelation. With this feature enabled you no longer see how many muted messages you have received whenever you enter the app. Vacation Mode is still in the works however, and will work with archived chats that have also been muted. Currently, when you archive or mute a chat on WhatsApp, you’ll still see the chats when you go back into the app. With Vacation Mode, your archived chats that...
Korean smartphone and applicance maker LG has today launched a WhatsApp service channel in South Africa, allowing users to log complaints or problems with appliances through the social messaging app. "LG’s objective in providing this service is to simplify customers’ lives," said LG South Africa in a press release. The company's WhatsApp service "will allow customers to chat directly with customer service experts when issues are reported". While consumers will be able to send the company your customer service requests via text, voice note, images and video, you will not be able to contact the company via WiFi-enabled calls or voice calls. Users...
WhatsApp has announced a new version of its app will be available on the JioPhone, a phone that runs on KaiOS. KaiOS, based on what was known as FirefoxOS at one point in time, runs on low-powered feature phones. A few of said phones are available in South Africa too, like the Nokia 8110. The chat application will soon terminate support for older Android smartphones, iOS and Windows devices. Notably, it's the first indication that the social messenger now supports the operating system, even though it does allow for some apps and internet connectivity. This too is an indication that the app may...
You may want to think twice about posting your mobile number to Twitter, even if it's to "WhatsApp Africa". A tweet posted on Monday by "@whatsapp_Africa" dupes users into tweeting their mobile numbers in exchange for free data. "We are giving away free what’s app data for the whole of September," reads the tweet verbatim. "Follow and retweet. Comment with your WhatsApp number." Notably, the tweet was also labeled as "promoted" by Twitter. At the time of writing, the post has more than 110 replies with many including mobile numbers. Some users however had questions, and even more doubts that the account was...
If you need more than 15GB of storage space for all those reaction GIFs, cat pictures and birthday party videos, Google and WhatsApp has some good news. "Starting November 12, 2018, WhatsApp backups will no longer count towards the Google Drive storage quota," alerts the messaging service in an update to its FAQ. Previously, WhatsApp backups -- essential when transferring accounts across phones -- counted towards Google Drive's 15GB storage quota. If your Drive didn't have any free space, you couldn't complete a backup. This is no longer the case. With that said though, Google will now delete backups that are older than...
WhatsApp on Monday announced that video and voice calling for groups is rolling out globally. Competing against the likes of Apple's FaceTime and Microsoft's Skype, Facebook-owned chat service will allow groups of up to four to engage in voice or video chats "anytime and anywhere". "Just start a one-on-one voice or video call and tap the new 'add participant' button in the top right corner to add more contacts to the call," the company explains in a blog post. For South Africans and others in low-quality internet markets, WhatsApp stresses that the service is designed to "work reliably around the world in...
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