WhatsApp’s top new updates that you need to keep an eye out for

WhatsApp has a whole slew of updates for Android and iOS users and there are the ones you need to keep an eye out for

WhatsApp has been working on a whole bunch of updates for Android and iOS devices. All of these are designed to makes WhatsApp work better for you taking up lesser battery than it already does. (REUTERS)

WhatsApp has been working on a whole bunch of updates for Android and iOS devices. All of these are designed to make WhatsApp work better for you.

Of the updates listed below, some of them are exclusive to iOS (version 2.20.10) for now, but they should soon make it the Android as well.

Dark mode

Among all the features, the Dark Mode is the most anticipated one. The feature has been under development for both Android and iOS for quite some time. Once it is ready, at least for iOS, it should be compatible with iOS 13.

The dark screen is supposed to save battery and put less strain on your eyes. While dark mode has rolled out to a lot of other applications and operating systems, it is still being tested by WhatsApp through beta updates.

 

The iOS dark theme is ready, except for:
No status updates cell.
WhatsApp Settings > Profile cells.
Phone number, About, Business details cells in Contact info.
Encryption cell.
Contacts list cells.
Storage Usage cells.
Cells in Backup section.
Wrong group description cell color.

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) December 19, 2019

Contacts Integration

This seems to be an update for iOS only so far. According to reports, this feature will let users share items directly with some "suggested" WhatsApp contacts using the iOS share sheet.

This basically means that when you are trying to share an image or a document from your iPhone, the phone will enable the Whatsapp icon by default along with other system sharing apps like Mail and Airdrop.

Low Data Mode

This update also is for iOS users so far. The low data feature was earlier only available for WhatsApp calls but now it has been integrated into the app. This reduces the network data usage.

Once you enable the mode, WhatsApp stops downloading media even if you have configured different auto download settings. The Low Data Mode will also stop auto download of voice messages. This feature is supposed to help you still use the app in weak internet areas for messaging purposes.

Self-destructing messages

WhatsApp's self-destructing messages feature is similar to Snapchat's feature. The self-destructing messages will get deleted after a specific period of time. Users may possibly be able to set the time intervals for the message to self destruct.

Multiple-device support

You will soon be able to use WhatsApp on multiple devices simultaneously. According to reports, WhatsApp's multiple-device support will get registration notifications when a user tries to log into another device - much like Facebook's login system.

QR Code to add contacts

One of the new features being tested on WhatsApp's beta version is the QR code for contact sharing. With this feature you can scan a QR code to add another user's contact information directly to your address book instead of having to do it separately.

Hide muted status

WhatsApp users will be able to hide muted status updates from select contacts. This feature will be available under a separate tab to make it easier. Right now if you mute someone's status updates on WhatsApp, it still appears at the bottom of the feed.