WhatsApp launched a ton of features in 2021.- It introduced some major features such as iOS to Android chat transfer, video and voice call on desktop and disappearing images and videos.
- There’s still a lot to look forward to in 2022 with more features being tested and expected to launch soon.
WhatsApp had a busy 2021 with some major updates and features along with criticism and backlash from users and even governments. But
WhatsApp continues to be the most popular messaging app worldwide with over 2.5 billion active users.
In 2021, WhatsApp rolled out
new features such as voice and video calling on desktop, chat transfer from iOS to Android, disappearing photos and videos, sticker maker tool, and more. It also regularly tests features and some of which can be tried out by WhatsApp beta users. Any new update or feature on WhatsApp always creates a buzz and the app is expected to continue to be in the limelight even in 2022, at least in terms of new features.
So as the new year starts, here’s a look at some of the highly expected features from WhatsApp in 2022.
Message reactions
Message reactions would be a major update for WhatsApp even though the feature is already available on social media apps. WhatsApp has been found testing the ability to react to messages in chats. This feature will let you react with emojis and at present, there are six emoji reactions confirmed. You will also be able to see who reacted which emoji to your message.
Communities
Communities on WhatsApp is another big feature expected to launch soon. This feature will essentially let users club various WhatsApp groups together in one community. Based on reports by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp will let you link up to 10 groups together in one community. There will be an announcement section that will be accessible only to admins through which a message can be sent and all groups in the community will get it. Communities will also have a squared icon with rounded edges, unlike group chat icons that are round in shape.
Android to iOS chat transfer
WhatsApp this year rolled out a highly requested feature – chat transfer between iOS and Android. You can finally transfer your chat history from your iPhone to Android devices. While this is great there’s still no tool to transfer WhatsApp chats from your Android phone to an iPhone. But WhatsApp is working on this feature and it’s expected to roll out soon.
Sticker store
Stickers are big on WhatsApp but this feature hasn’t been easily accessible on the desktop and web apps. But WhatsApp has added the sticker store on its desktop app’s beta version. Previously, you couldn’t access the sticker store which has the original WhatsApp sticker packs. It’s available on the beta app for now but WhatsApp is expected to make it widely available soon. WhatsApp had also launched its own sticker maker tool for the desktop and web apps.
More control for admins
WhatsApp gives group chat admins good control and it’s planning to expand that. Group chat admins on WhatsApp will soon be able to delete any message sent by participants. If a message has been deleted by the group admin then everyone in the group will be notified of the same. This will be different from disappearing messages as group admins will be able to use it anytime they want.
Businesses Nearby
WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will make it easier for users to search for businesses on the app. There will be a new section called “businesses nearby” in the search tool and you will get to see filters like restaurants, grocery stores, apparel and clothing, and more. This is similar to the filters for images, videos, GIFs on WhatsApp.
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