Over the years, there have been calls to improve some WhatsApp features like the Missed Calls problem where missed call notifications on Whatsapp pop up without your phone ever ringing. There is also the issue of Voice lag where any party calling with a slow internet connection gets voice breaks and lags.
Of course, we all know that it’s mostly preferable to call on wifi / 3G / 4G network, but given the connectivity variation in Nigeria, you can never be sure of the other person’s internet connectivity.
We may not have gotten those issues improved upon, but here are the latest WhatsApp features to know oabout:
1. Live Location
Whatsapp has announced that they are now going to be letting users share the location with friends and family in real time. If you’ve used the sharing feature before, you know we could already share locations before, except it was static. With this one though, you’ll be able to share it in real time, almost like a Google Map of chat.
This is how it will work — open a chat with the person or group you want to share with. Go to Location, from the attach button. The attach options will have “Share Live Location”. When you select it, you can even choose for how long you intend to share location with the other person. Then hit send. If more than one person shares their Live Location in the group, all locations will be visible on the same map.
Note that this is an end to those times you lie to your friends that you’re in a particular location when you’re somewhere else. It won’t end well when they request you share your location.
2. Delete For Everyone
Whatsapp is currently testing an ‘unsend’ feature which will help users to get rid of messages sent either by mistake or deliberately. With the Delete for Everyone’ feature, those messages you send in the in the heat of anger to your friends, or those you intended to sent to your girlfriend, which you mistakenly sent to you mum, can be deleted from from their Whatsapp timeline using ‘unsend’ button.
According to WABetaInfo, Whatsapp is experimenting with the new feature on Android and iOS devices. The feature is said to be functioning successful thus far.
‘Recall’ or ‘unsend’ message feature have been in many social apps like WeChat and Viber. However, unlike these apps, Whatsapp is topping it up as un-sent messages will be wiped out from the notification centre.
The only snag to this, is that the message can only be deleted within 5 minutes, and that’s only if it hasn’t been read by the recipient.
What’s more?!
In Zimbabwe, it’s now a crime to create a Whatsapp group without registering with the government. Oh, yes!
Zimbabwe has now made it illegal to create a Whatsapp group without registration and approval from its ministry of cyber security. The ministry released a statement to that effect with the rules to take effect starting November 1, 2017.
What are your thoughts on these new features? Drop your comments below!
