According to a report by WABetaInfo a number of new WhatsApp features are set to launch on Apple’s iOS operating system and these changes have reportedly appeared on WhatsApp through Apple’s TestFlight beta programme, although they are not yet available for users of the standard application.
New features include the addition of Contacts shortcuts to the iOS Share Sheet, Voice Over improvements, bubble colour changes, and other fixes. Contact shortcuts allow users to easily share files with WhatsApp contacts without first needing to select the application from the list of supported apps.
Instead, shortcuts to your favourite WhatsApp contacts will appear above the application list that will allow you to instantly share media with contacts or groups. WhatsApp has also reportedly been working on a new bubble colour for its dark mode and in this update, it has replaced the old green bubble colour with an alternative shade.
Improvements to Voice Over support when archiving and unarchiving a chat have been added, as well as a number of general bug fixes, the report said.
Integrating WhatsApp with Messenger
These changes follow reports that Facebook is planning to integrate its WhatsApp and Messenger messaging platforms – allowing users on both apps to communicate with one another seamlessly.
Properties found within Facebook Messenger’s code would reportedly allow Messenger to understand if WhatsApp contacts are blocked, the sounds used by push notifications, and details of WhatsApp chats like phone numbers, message counters, and whether the chat is archived.
Notably, however, Facebook does not currently have properties that allow it access to the content of chats, members of a specific group, and profile pictures of contacts. It is important to note that since this is still under development, all of this may still change, or be destroyed completely.
