Facebook-owned WhatsApp has been coming up with new updates at a very aggressive rate and it seems like the messaging App is serious about continuing its reign over other competitors these new and ever so practical updates.
After launching the WhatsApp Business App, Facebook has now introduced two new features. While the first features in the latest package 2.17.375 has made the application size smaller as it takes up less space while downloading and installing, with the second WhatsApp update, the application is now capable of sending all contacts a notification message when a user changes his/her number.
After the new WhatsApp update, there is a decrease of approximately 6MB in the size due to the elimination of around 20 libraries which were added in the previous versions.
That said, it’s the notification option that has attracted all the spotlight as the new WhatsApp update has made changing phone numbers, much less stressful.
WhatsApp beta for Android 2.17.375: the Change Number Notify feature is enabled by default! pic.twitter.com/vfPBMAS2FB
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) October 13, 2017
Changing a phone number is said to be the most dreading task that a user has to go through as notifying all the contacts about the new contact number gets really hectic. However, since mostly all of our contacts have been using WhatsApp, a message to notify the changed number is a welcomed feature.
The feature will work every time you change your number and users can even customise the list of contacts and choose as to who should be notified with a WhatsApp message. However, all of your groups’ chats will be notified automatically.
When using this new WhatsApp update, old messages from the conversation with the selected contact will automatically get transferred to the new WhatsApp account. If you don’t select the notification option, while the messages won’t be transferred, your contacts will assume that you’re still using the old number.
In earlier versions of WhatsApp, users can update the number by going to Settings-Account and then clicking on the Change Number option. On Android, however, only group chats are automatically notified that you’ve changed numbers. On iOS, on the other hand, nobody is even aware of the fact.
The feature, as well as the new WhatsApp update, was first spotted by WABetaInfo, which said that it’s enabled by default in beta versions of the app for Android, as of now. The new feature is also coming to the iOS version of the app.
WhatsApp beta for Windows Phone 2.17.130: new change number feature, to notify your contacts about your new number (DISABLED BY DEFAULT) pic.twitter.com/FpZWHH3MS3
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) April 15, 2017
Everything said and done, ‘Notify Phone Number Change’ is indeed one of the biggest introductions in WhatsApp over the years and another feature, called the ‘recalled button’ is also hotly anticipated to be introduced next year.
According to WABetaInfo, there is also be a ‘Delete for Everyone’ option which would allow users to delete messages they’ve already sent. This feature will work with all types of messages including GIFs, texts, pictures, videos and more.
Facebook, which has a group voice call feature for the Messenger, is also said to be working on introducing the option for the messaging app with a new WhatsApp update soon.