Four BIG changes for WhatsApp that you should know

WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, has announced four BIG changes.

WHAT ARE THE FOUR BIG CHANGES FOR WHATSAPP?

It previously said it is constantly working on new features, with constant rollouts.

The meta-owned company recently redesigned its interface but is also rolling out other features.

Here are the four BIG changes that you should know of:

AI for WhatsApp Business

One of the biggest announcements was the introduction of AI tools for businesses.

THE INTRODUCTION OF AI TOOLS FOR BUSINESSES

“We believe AI tools can help businesses get people the help they are looking for and find new products and services as well. We’re introducing ways for any business to use AI on the most popular questions they receive so you can get the answer you’re looking for fast.

“We’re also integrating AI tools to create an ad to run on Instagram or Facebook and to help make sure businesses are following up with customers that want to hear from them – for example to remind people they left an item in their cart or offer a discount for a purchase they’ve been waiting to make.

These tools should help users find the information they need efficiently,” said WABetaInfo.

The new features are available to some users who install WhatsApp’s latest Android and iOS updates.

Status order update

A new beta for Android showed that WhatsApp is updating the order of status updates.

UPDATING THE ORDER OF STATUS UPDATES

The messaging service will prioritise important contacts over others, with their updates appearing from the top of the list.

WABetaInfo said WhatsApp’s ranking system uses several statistics to identify important contacts:

• Frequent Contact: The app prioritises contacts that users chat with often by querying the local database, indicating a higher level of interaction and importance.
• Recent Messaging: Recently-maged contacts are prioritised to reflect the immediacy and relevance of user interactions.
• Pinned Contact: Pinned chats indicate the preference to prioritise certain conversations. These will also be prioritised within the Updates tab.
• Expiring Status Update: when a status update is about to expire, it is prioritised to guarantee that users see timely updates before they disappear.

Larger calls

Another great feature will enable users to call larger businesses directly from the chat interface.

WABetaInfo says this one-tap calling option is handy for complex inquiries, such as intricate travel arrangements or opening a new bank account, where a live conversation can provide more immediate and personalised assistance.

USERS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE CALLS TO LARGER BUSINESSES

The feature is currently testing and will be available to more businesses in the coming months.

No longer able to take screenshots

The last new feature is that WhatsApp no longer allows taking screenshots of profile photos.

This feature adds a layer of privacy protection by preventing users from sharing other’s photos without their consent.

This will reduce the potential misuse of profile photos.

WHATSAPP NO LONGER ALLOWS TAKING SCREENSHOTS OF PROFILE PHOTOS

“While we recognise that people might still use other devices or cameras to capture the images, blocking the screenshot feature within the app will significantly reduce the unauthorized sharing of profile photos.”