All New WhatsApp Features Added in June 2024
Jul. 4, 2024Some features discussed here are still under development and might take a while before they arrive. We have divided the list into two categories and labeled them “upcoming features”.
Some businesses on WhatsApp will now have the Meta Verified badge under their name. This indicates that thebusiness is registered with Metaand is legitimate. Registering with Meta will also prevent it from being impersonated. Businesses will benefit from better technical support from Meta and the ability to use the same account on different devices.
Users will benefit from a tap call to directly reach out to the business and connect with them for intricate or immediate queries if required. These features are rolling out in Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Colombia. They should be available for some businesses already.
We are also seeing thewide release of Meta AIon WhatsApp along with other Meta-owned apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. The generative AI chatbot was previously available to a limited number of users. Now it is rolling out for everyone across various countries around the globe.
Meta AI is based on the Llama model and you can access it using the floating action button or the search bar at the top. You can chat with it, bring it up in an ongoing WhatsApp conversation or use it to generate images completely for free. We’ve sharedour experience with Meta AIon WhatsApp.
The iOS version of the app has added a Favorites filter for the chats section. This will let youmark certain chats as Favoritesand then you can jump to that section quickly using the filter. It works similarly to other filters on the app. The filter is already rolling out to Android users but is now, also available on iOS. You should get this feature over the coming weeks.
This month, the app also introduced new features to improve the voice and video calling experience for users. First, you can includeaudio when screen sharingduring video calls which is great for watching content with your friends or presentations.
You can also includeup to 32 people in a group video callsession. The app also launched MLow codec which should improve voice call quality in poor network or high-traffic areas. Users with a good internet connection will be able to enjoy high-quality video calls. You can read more about these features inour full coverage.
After a while now, iPhone users are getting themedia quality selectionoption in WhatsApp. Android users have had it for a while now in the stable release. In case you don’t know about this feature, it lets you choose between SD (Standard Definition) which is lower in quality for a smaller file size of HD (High Definition) which has the original higher file size.
The beginning of the month saw theredesign of the calling interface. Some WhatsApp Beta users on Android received a condensed bottom bar for the voice call UI. As you can see, the icons are tightly packed, and the profile picture appears larger than before. This redesign is still in Beta and come to stable soon.
The latest WhatsApp Beta for macOS allows you to uploadstatus updates directly from your Mac. Currently, you cannot post status updates from linked devices including the web and desktop version of the app. So this will be a major shift and should come in handy for a lot of users who wish to post status updates right from their PCs.
Certain U.S. states like Texas have recently ruled out legislation that makes it mandatory for online services to verify the age of their users. WhatsApp is working on an age verification feature that will ask users toenter their correct age when setting upthe app. Once entered, it cannot be changed later. This feature will be rolled out to users in certain regions this year.
Like always, WhatsApp is adding improvements and new features to status updates. The first one is the ability torank status, based on the person you interact with most, whose chats you have pinned to the top, and recent chats. You can read more about it in thisarticle by WABetaInfo.
They’re also working on changing the UI of how you can reply to other’s status updates. Last month, we saw an option to react to status with emojis. Now we see a new reply option on the right side replacing the text box. This way users can choose how they want to react to a status.
WhatsApp is also building upon the events feature we covered previously on the app. Now they are adding the ability to add acover photo for an event. This will allow event creators to add a visually engaging image to promote the event among community members.
To make it easier to keep up with your favorite channels, WhatsApp is working on the ability topin up to two channelsto the top of the section. This work will work similarly to pinning chats, making it easier to check for the latest updates whenever you switch to the channels tab.
Transferring your data from your old phone to a new one requires you to have a Google Drive backup of your chats. In case of transferring it from Android to iOS or vice versa demands the use of a USB cable. However, the app is planning to change that with a new implementation where you can scan a QR code with your new phone totransfer chat history wirelessly without any backup.
This feature is still under development and might be released in a later version of the app.
In the previous May updates list, we discussed a revamp stickers tray in WhatsApp. Now the app is adding a toggle toenable or disable sticker suggestionsin chat settings as found in a beta update. This will let you enable sticker suggestions that will show you stickers that you can send depending on the message or the emoji you type on the keyboard. Disabling will remove suggestions entirely.
Last month, we got a glimpse of variouscolored chat themescoming to WhatsApp in an iOS Beta. chat theming Now, we get to see more different colored options for your chat screen. This will be a departure from the typical green theme we have seen from the beginning and add more colors to your WhatsApp chats. However, there is no word on when this feature will be available to users.Image Courtesy: WABetaInfo
In another Beta update for Android, we saw that WhatsApp has added a new Privacy Checkup option within the Privacy settings on the app. This option will let you manage andcontrol your privacyon the app according to your preferences. However, it is not known when this feature will become available to users.
In an attempt to further improve their video calling experience, WhatsApp is bringing AR effects to the app. These effects will help give your face a touch-up if required, adddifferent backgroundsas we have seen in Google Meet, and utilizeAvatars for video calling. The AR background effects will also come to the desktop app. These features are in early development and there is no confirmation when they will be available.
In another Beta update for Android, WhatsApp added an in-app dialer in the calling section of the app. It is accessible through a floating action button that lets you quicklydial numbers without adding them to your contactsfirst. This will also let you directly call them without entering the chat. It is only available to a limited number of WhatsApp Beta users as of now.
Video Messages is a feature that lets you record a quick message and share it in the chat. This is available to all users but remains an underrated feature on the app. In a recent beta, we saw that WhatsApp has added a quick reply option next to the video message preview on the app. Using this, users can reply byrecording a short video messagemaking the interaction more fun.
Meta AI is rolling out for everyone on WhatsApp in different countries allowing you to chat with the AI-powered bot. Since Meta AI is based on the Llama engine, WhatsApp will add a feature to let you switch between different versions of it.
In the latest test flight build for WhatsApp, we get to see a new media-sharing layout for status updates. Here you can quickly switch between the photo, video, and text formats on the app. There is also a mic button on the right so you canupload a voice noteif you want to.
Communities tab which is currently unavailable on the iPad version of WhatsApp since it is considered a linked device, is finally being added as discovered in a beta build of the app. The layout remains similar to the iPhone version of WhatsApp with the Communities tab taking the center space on the bottom bar. This should be released in the stable version pretty soon.
As a tech journalist, I dive into the ever-evolving tech landscape with a particular interest for smartphones, apps, and gaming. With a passion for sharing insights, my articles blend expertise with a friendly touch—think of me as your friendly neighborhood tech support.
