WhatsApp news stands out in 2021
After having reviewed in the first part of this series of articles, with which WhatsApp updates has the year 2021 started, we are now going to detail the upcoming WhatsApp news that are going to be launched imminently, among which, we highlight the following:
- Integration with Facebook and Instagram:
Halfway between an existing update and a new feature, some company accounts already have the possibility of adding their WhatsApp Business as part of the contact information of their Instagram profile.
Facebook, for its part, has already announced its intention to merge its messaging applications (Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram Direct) into a single platform, although it seems that it has problems with the Federal Trade Commission, which could even disrupt these plans.
- Holiday mode:
Currently, if we archive a chat, it is unarchived as soon as we receive a new message. Starting this year, archived conversations will not be unarchived even if they receive new messages, thus keeping them muted and out of the general chat list, so that the user can enjoy their rest periods without receiving notifications from work.
- Payments and transfers:
WhatsApp Pay will allow users to make payments and transfers between the contacts in the contacts list. It is a function very similar to that of Bizum, in which you can link the payment method by verifying your phone number. The receipt will appear in the same chat of the person to whom you make it.
- File self-destruction:
The new WhatsApp updates will incorporate the possibility of sending ephemeral messages with automatic drop of images, videos and GIFs. This new tool, called Expiring Media, will incorporate a new button in the form of a timer. Tapping it will turn it green, indicating to users that the files to be shared will automatically expire.
- Internal notifications:
The application will update new terms of use to add new features, which cannot be activated until the user accepts them in each update. In this way the news will appear at the top of the chats through a 'banner' to inform the user.
- Search for photos and documents:
Another novelty is a new reverse search utility for photos and documents, which will work in a similar way to Google Photos, and will allow us to find these files quickly through its servers.
- Integrated browser:
Soon it will no longer be necessary to open the links that pass to us through WhatsApp from an external browser. The popular instant messaging application is working to incorporate its own integrated browser where you can directly view the links sent to us, similar to what happens today with links to YouTube videos.
- Camera improvements:
WhatsApp has its own camera application with some special functions, although it is still a long way from the options offered by Instagram, TikTok or Snapchat. That will be precisely what we will have in 2021, thanks to new filters or the option to make animations of up to 7 seconds in the boomerang style.
- Voice messages without opening WhatsApp:
The audios are used more and more, there are even those who communicate almost exclusively in this way. From this year, WhatsApp will allow you to listen to these voice messages from notifications, as is already the case with the images they send us, thus avoiding users having to unlock their smartphone each time to hear them.
- Don't download files by default:
WhatsApp automatically downloads all the files we receive by default, depleting our storage space. To avoid this, in new updates, forwarded images, videos, documents or voice messages will never be downloaded by default.
- Multi-device:
Finally, it will soon be possible to access WhatsApp from the same account on up to four different terminals. In addition, it will not be necessary for the main device (usually the mobile) to be connected to the network to be able to use the application on the tablet or computer.
Well, with this extensive review of updates and news, for the moment, we are done. Halfway between a qualitative leap, in regard to the rights and conditions of users, and greater control by developers of what is happening, the memory optimization in devices will surely be of good pleasure. Knowing that the battle for instant messaging has only just begun, it is almost certain that more surprises await us until the end of the year.
