WhatsApp this week: WhatsApp turns 12, new media footer in works

WhatsApp, despite the rising popularity of Telegram and Signal, remains one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. In the past couple of weeks, we have seen reports talking extensively about the company’s new Terms of Service and what will happen if users fail to accept them by May 15. This week we got to know about a new feature that will be making its way to the Facebook-owned messaging app soon. In addition to that, we also got to know about the new ways in which the government is using WhatsApp to communicate with the citizens.

So, here’s everything that created a buzz in the world of WhatsApp in the past week:

WhatsApp turns 12

WhatsApp recently completed 12 years of its debut. On its 12th anniversary, WhatsApp highlighted some of the milestones achieved by its platform. The messaging platform said it has over 2 billion users each month that send 100 billion messages. The company also said that one billion WhatsApp calls are made each day.

Redesigning media footer on Android

WhatsApp, as per a report by WABetaInfo, is redesigning the media footer in its Android app. The messaging app is redesigning the chat bar. In the redesigned version, the button to select more media to send, and the recipient name is moved to the right, which is very similar to the iOS UI. The report says that this redesign is under development and it will be available in a new update.

GCC launches WhatsApp channel to address public grievances

Tamil Nadu government’s Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has launched a dedicated WhatsApp channel to address public grievances. This WhatsApp channel will also be used to facilitate effective communication between the GCC and the public. All users need to do is send ‘Hi’ to GCC’s official WhatsApp account, which is +91-94999 33644.

Telangana govt launches WhatsApp channel to boost property tax collection

Telangana government’s Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration (CDMA) has launched a dedicated WhatsApp channel to boost property tax collection in the state. It will also provide up-to-date information about tax dues to the users. All users need to do is send a ‘Hi’ to CDMA on Telangana’s official WhatsApp account, which is +91 90002 53342.