CALIFORNIA (Kashmir English): WhatsApp is planning to introduce a new feature that will make the user experience on the messaging platform look like Instagram. In other words, WhatsApp will undergo significant changes concerning its main tab.
According to the reports, after the introduction of such changes, the statuses of contacts will be shown right above the main and chat tabs. As reported, the testing process of the feature takes place in WhatsApp’s beta version for Android devices.
The statuses will now appear within a new layout on the interface, right above the chat window. Each time the app is launched, the users will see the statuses of 3 contacts at the very top. To check other statuses, it is necessary to scroll down the system.
It is worth noting that the changes do not imply the exclusion of the updates tab. It will still be used; however, the reason for introducing status viewing in the chat tab will be the easy access to it.
This option is currently undergoing tests and is getting phased in among beta users. The new interface will be fine-tuned according to the comments received from beta users and then introduced to all users slowly over the course of the next few months.
WhatsApp to launch its own cloud storage feature
WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will allow users to back up their chats directly to its own cloud storage, offering an alternative to existing backup options.
Currently, Android users rely on Google Drive, while iPhone users use iCloud to store their chat backups. However, according to reports by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is now testing its own encrypted cloud storage system.
The new feature, currently available in the beta version for Android devices, will provide users with an additional backup option alongside Google Drive. Users are expected to receive 2GB of free storage under this service.
A key highlight of this development is that all data stored in WhatsApp’s cloud will be end-to-end encrypted by default, enhancing privacy and security. At present, while personal chats on WhatsApp are automatically end-to-end encrypted, users must manually enable encryption for backups.
With the new system, this extra step may no longer be required, as encryption will be built into the cloud storage itself.
Reports also suggest that WhatsApp may introduce a paid plan offering up to 50GB of cloud storage for around $1 per month.
Since the feature is still under testing, there is no official timeline yet for its rollout to all users.
