As 2020 inches closer, users of the multi-platform instant messaging app WhatsApp are in for some exciting news. Listed below are some new feature WhatsApp is expected to release in the coming year.
Disappearing Messages
This feature would automatically delete messages after a stipulated time period. Apps such as Instagram offer this feature.
You can set the messages to be deleted automatically after an hour, a day, a week, a month or a year. The feature will work in both group chats and one-on-one conversations.
Dark Mode
Dark Mode adjusts the colours on your screen for a darker appearance. This has been one of the most talked-about features expected on Whataspp, especially following the adoption of the dark mode by the app’s sister company Instagram.
According to WaBetaInfo, dark mode is ready but misses out on elements like status updates cell, profile cells under the settings, contact and storage list cells, and cells under the backup section. The Phone number, About, Business details cells in Contact info also seems inactive for now. You can expect a stable version of the feature, for both iOS and Android users, to launch in the new year.
It also seems that it’ll be possible to either activate dark mode manually or have the app switch to it automatically when your phone’s power-saving settings are enabled.
Coming Soon to @WhatsApp…
– WhatsApp Status (Stories) to get Ads in 2020
– WhatsApp for Businesses to get richer messaging format options
– WhatsApp product catalog to be integrated with existing Facebook Business Manager catalog
h/t + 📸 @Olivier_Ptv
at #FMS19 pic.twitter.com/Z5LsbADNbP— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) May 21, 2019
Ads
At the 2019 Facebook Marketing Summit in the Netherlands, the company presented a slideshow demonstrating how it intends to work ads into WhatsApp. It intends to start inserting them into WhatsApp Status posts in 2020, with full-screen promotions that will appear in between updates from your contacts.
Reverse Image Search
The reverse image search tool that will help you find out where a picture you’ve received originally came from.
This feature is likely intended to help combat the spread of fake news through the app. Whatsapp is one of the fastest media by which fake news is disseminated via frequently forwarded messages to other users.
No Support For Some Phones
In 2020, will stop working on a number of smartphones
According to the information on WhatsApp FAQ section, Android phones running on Android 2.3.7 operating system and lower as well as iPhones running on iOS 8 and lower will not be compatible with the chat app from next year.
Freelanews is the editorial byline of Freelanews.com, used for staff reports, news updates, press releases, and collaborative stories produced by the Freelanews Editorial Team.
