WhatsApp may introduce a new feature allowing users to ‘like’ statuses in a similar way to how users can do to Instagram stories.
This illustration photograph shows the US instant messaging software Whatsapp's logo (AFP)
Users can like a status update by pressing a heart emoji at the bottom left of the screen when the update is being viewed. Its also possible to see who has liked the status using the views list, allowing for a convenient way to connect with people without initiating a conversation.
Status likes also won't clutter chat conversations since they appear separately. However, replying to status is different and is still possible to do, without any changes to this function.
The like feature is currently being tested by public beta users and the development has also been going on for some time, according to WABetaInfo reports.
Who can access the new WhatsApp status like feature?
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It is currently available for WhatsApp beta users with the latest version 2.24.17.21, available on the Google Play Store, and is anticipated to become available to the regular users in coming weeks.
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It is currently available for WhatsApp beta users with the latest version 2.24.17.21, available on the Google Play Store, and is anticipated to become available to the regular users in coming weeks.
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WhatsApp is also reportedly working on developing a new feature enabling users to engage in real-time voice conversations with a chatbot, and Meta which owns WhatsApp is also planning further enhancements to Meta AI's voice functionality.
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