Five major WhatsApp features rolled out to Android and iOS

WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging platforms in the world. The company has been rolling out new features on both iOS and Android to make it more engaging. While some of the features are still being examined, some have already been officially launched. Here are some of the new features that have been incorporated into the app.

WhatsApp group video calling
WhatsApp might be a cornerstone of the messaging world, but the platform lacks one feature — Group video calling. This new feature has been recently added to WhatsApp but is reportedly been rolled out to a handful of users. WaBetainfo asserted that the beta update is available for both Android and iOS users. iOS users can look for WhatsApp version 2.18.52 and 2.18.145 for Android users.

Click to Chat
The newly released feature allows users to send messages to numbers that are not saved in their contact list. This means that you now don't have to save unnecessary numbers just for a one-time conversation. To use this feature, you need to create a chat link — using WhatsApp API – "api.whatsapp.com/send?phone="

And then enter this URL on your smartphone’s browser, after which it will prompt you to open WhatsApp and initiate the conversation. This feature is really helpful and will make it easier for users to send messages to a number that is not saved in their contact list.  

Recover deleted WhatsApp photos
WhatsApp reportedly added a feature that gives users the option to retrieve their deleted media from WhatsApp. If you have accidentally deleted a media file from WhatsApp’s folder, then you can go back to the chat through which it was sent and tap on it to re-download the file. The media files are said to be stored on WhatsApp’s server for up to 30 days, the post which they are erased. Users also need to know that if you end up deleting the chat, you lose out on this option as well. In short, you need to have your chat log in place in order to allow WhatsApp help you get back your data. 

In-app video playback for Facebook and Instagram
With this added feature, one can now watch Facebook and Instagram videos within the app without having to exit conversation thread and go into other apps. The new feature is currently rolling out on iOS to users, but it hasn’t come to Android yet.

New media visibility feature
The new feature is already available in iOS. The messaging platform has now rolled this feature to its Android beta version. The 'media visibility' feature allows users to decide whether they want WhatsApp media content to be showcased in the gallery or not. This feature is truly useful as this will save a lot of additional space on your phone.