WhatsApp is reportedly developing a feature that will let users set an expiration date for group chats. According to a report from feature tracker WABetaInfo, this would help users reclaim some of their storage space.
This is similar to WhatsApp’s existing “View Once” functionality, which allows photos and videos to disappear after recipients have viewed them once. This feature is likely to be useful for sending sensitive information that people don’t want others to have ongoing access to, such as passwords or credit card details.
Expiring Text Messages
WhatsApp is developing a feature that will let users set an expiration date for group chats. It’s similar to Snapchat, where you can send a text message that can be read by the recipient only once and then disappears.
Unlike Snapchat, however, it’s not possible to copy or forward disappearing messages. It also won’t be saved on the recipients phone after seven days.
The good news is that screenshots and photos can be taken before they’re deleted by default, although it can be turned off if you prefer. This also helps save space on the recipient’s device.
The new feature is rolling out to iOS and Android smartphones worldwide today, with a lifespan of seven days. WhatsApp says it’s not a permanent change, but it could be a useful addition for some users.
View Once Messages
WhatsApp is developing a feature that will let you set an expiration date for group chat. This will prevent others from taking screenshots of the messages, ensuring that they remain confidential to the sender.
As users know, WhatsApp already offers a disappearing photo and video feature, which makes sensitive media files effectively self-destruct after a certain amount of time. This is a great option for media files that you don’t want to stick around in someone else’s phone.
However, it is also a privacy concern. Unlike the disappearing messages feature, recipients can still take screenshots of the View Once media that they see, which is why WhatsApp recommends only sending it to trusted friends and family members.
WhatsApp recently fixed that loophole with the addition of a screenshot-blocking feature for ‘View Once’ videos and photos, but it appears that this will extend to text messages as well. According to WABetaInfo, the new feature was spotted in an unreleased beta version of the Android app.
Split View Feature
WhatsApp has been working to improve its tablet support for some time now. Recently, the messaging app rolled out a companion mode that allowed users to link their Android tablets with an existing account.
However, the companion mode wasn’t optimized for bigger screen devices, which is why WhatsApp is now rolling out a split view feature that improves tablet support.
According to WABetaInfo, the new feature will allow you to view two different sections of WhatsApp simultaneously side by side on your tablet. It will also let you switch between conversations without having to close one chat before opening another.
Additionally, the app will let you set an expiration date for your group chat. Once it’s reached, you will be prompted to clean up the group. You can pick from options like one day, one week, or a custom date.
Original Quality Photos
If you’re sending photos on WhatsApp, you may have noticed that they’re often compressed. This is to save space and speed up data transfer.
However, the images aren’t always of the highest quality. There are times when you may want to send high-resolution pictures to someone so that they can print them or display them on a large screen.
Now, WhatsApp might soon be able to help you out with that. WABetaInfo reports that the Meta-owned chat messenger is developing a feature that will allow users to send pictures in their original quality without compressing them.
The ‘Photo quality’ option is currently in the beta for Android version 2.23.2.11. It’s possible that it will also be rolled out to iPhone users in the future.