WhatsApp has announced a selection of fun new features including contact-adding QR codes, animated stickers and dark mode for desktops.
The new features will appear on the platform in the next few weeks.
1. QR codes for adding contacts
Of the new features, the ones that will benefit the average WhatsApp user the most will be QR codes to add contacts.
Usually, when WhatsApp users want to add new contacts they have to type out the number and save it with the contact’s name.
While this is no great effort, WhatsApp is making the process even easier by distributing QR codes to each user.
When users meet someone new in person, they will be able to scan the QR code with the use of their smartphone camera.
This will automatically find the WhatApp user’s name and number, which users can tap to add to their contacts.
In person, WhatsApp users can hold a personalised QR code up to another user’s phone to add their details to the app
2. One-tap video calls
Quicker access to eight-person video calls will also help WhatsApp users during the coronavirus pandemic to stay connected to friends and colleagues.
The app doubled the number of users that can take part in a single group video chat from four to eight back in July, in direct response to the pandemic.
But now it’s introducing a new video icon in group chats of eight people or less so users can start the call with just one tap.
Users can also press and hold another participant’s chat window to enlarge their video display over the others.
WhatsApp started letting eight people hold a video chat together at the same time – doubling the current limit of four – in April because of the coronavirus pandemic
3. Animated stickers
Animated stickers – small animations that users can send in a message thread – are one of the fastest-growing ways people communicate on WhatsApp.
Billions of animated stickers are sent on the platform every day, and as a result, the platform is rolling out new selections.
Although WhatsApp didn’t go into detail about what the new animated sticker selection would include, its video preview reveals a person tapping their watch and a strawberry with arms and legs running.
The platform had previously launched a new sticker pack to help people stay connected, encourage people to keep social distancing, to check in on elderly relatives and to wash their hands.
WhatsApp had encouraged encourage people to keep social distancing, to check in on elderly relatives and to wash their hands with stickers released earlier this year
4. Dark mode for desktop and web
Dark mode for desktop, meanwhile, will give people who use WhatsApp on their PC the option to turn the background of their app interface from white to black to make it easier on the eye and reduce eye strain in low light environments.
Dark mode, which has become popular with late night social media users, had already been made available on Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Gmail and system-wide applications on Android and iOS.
WhatsApp was late to roll out dark mode but had said it wanted to make sure it got the feature right.
Dark mode was the most requested feature by WhatsApp users before it came to Android and iOS back in March. Now it comes to desktops
5. Status for KaiOS
Lastly, Status for KaiOS lets users of the Linux-based operating system enjoy Status updates – a feature that’s similar to Instagram Stories.
WhatsApp Status allows users to share text, photo, video and GIF updates that disappear after 24 hours.
Facebook had been planning to introduce adds to WhatsApp via the Status feature before backtracking on the idea earlier this year – for now.