WhatsApp is constantly updating the messaging platform with new tweaks and tricks, and is one of the reasons why it continues to maintain its position as the most popular messaging platform in the world with more than 1.5 billion active users.
Now, the Facebook-owned messaging platform plans to add a few more features to the list, according to a report by WABetainfo. These are as follows:
Multiple device support
According to the report, the latest WhatsApp beta version 2.20.110 brings support for multiple devices to the app, which the platform currently lacks. The feature will allow users to log in to a single WhatsApp account through different devices that they use. As a result, users can chat on the same account via multiple devices. For instance, if you have a smartphone and a tablet, you can use both devices to log in to your WhatsApp account.
The report adds that the feature will not function like the current WhatsApp web application, where the user has to link the phone using a barcode to access the account. The login to the new device will remain independent of the phone. As pointed out by WABetainfo, every time a new device is used, the encryption key will be updated to reflect the new login.
The user's contacts will also be informed of this change. The multiple device support feature is currently under development and will be coming to both Android and iOS versions of the app in the near future.
Expiring Messages
WhatsApp Messenger is also working on another feature called expiring messages or self-destructing messages as we know it. This isn't new information, the company has been working on this feature for quite some time now, but it seems like it's finally making some headway towards a full release in the near future.
Although the Telegram-style feature was only applicable to groups earlier. However, it will now be available to use in private chats as well. The "expiring messages" feature will allow users to send messages in individual chats and groups that disappear within a specified period of time.
The company has made some alterations to the feature. For starters, in group conversations, the feature will only be available to the administrators. This means that only group admins will be able to decide whether or not other group members can share disappearing messages on the chat. The group admin will also set the time duration after which the messages will expire: one day, one week or one month. Moreover, WhatsApp is adding a special icon when the feature is enabled in a specific chat, in the form of a timer icon on the profile picture in the conversations list, as well as within the chat window.
