WhatsApp is undoubtedly the widely used cross-platform internet-based messaging application in the world with over a billion active users. To ensure these users have enough reasons to stay on the platform, the Facebook-owned app constantly tests new features and rolls them out in an orderly fashion. Another beta feature has been spotted in the wild, something millions of users are going to love when rolled out.
According to WABetaInfo, which regularly tracks updates and new features to the popular app, WhatsApp is reportedly working on a boomerang feature that will make users' chats and statuses more fun to watch. For those unaware, the boomerang-style looping short clips are quite popular in Instagram, and WhatsApp seems to be borrowing it to share the success.
The new feature, aptly named Boomerang, is not available publicly since the feature has been in the works for the last few weeks. Once WhatsApp has fine-tuned and eliminated all bugs with the feature, it will be released to all the Android and iOS users around the world. But there's no tentative timeline as of this writing.
In case you're unfamiliar with the boomerang feature on Instagram, it simply loops a short video less than seven seconds. The feature will be available in the Video Type panel where users can convert videos to GIFs. After converting a short video clip to a boomerang, it can then be shared with contacts or as a status update (24 hours).
WABetaInfo also shared a sample boomerang video to show how the video will work in the real world. The new WhatsApp feature is said to arrive on iOS first and then on the Android platform.
Besides this interesting integration, WhatsApp is also close to releasing the much-awaited dark mode for the app. According to the blog, dark mode on iOS is 95 percent ready and the Android version is close to 75 percent complete. Still, there's no word on when WhatsApp users will get the highly-anticipated feature.
WhatsApp is also developing a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app that will work independently on a PC even when your phone is off. Currently, WhatsApp Web requires a phone to have an active internet connection to mirror the screen on a PC. That could change soon.
Additionally, Facebook is going to rename WhatsApp to "WhatsApp from Facebook" to be "clearer about the products and services that are part of Facebook." The change is going to affect the app's listing in App Store and Play Store, but the homescreen will still reflect the simple WhatsApp moniker.
