WhatsApp Features in Development: Companion Mode, Avatars, Status Reactions, More

From Companion mode to Facebook Avatars, and from Status Reactions to Admin delete, here are the features WhatsApp is working on.

Edited by David Delima | Updated: 31 August 2022 13:49 IST

WhatsApp Features in Development: Companion Mode, Avatars, Status Reactions, More

Photo Credit: WABetainfo

Highlights

You may soon be able to view past participants in Groups
WhatsApp may add Facebook Avatar support in Chats and Stories
Hide online status feature is reportedly under development

Over the past few weeks, we have already seen WhatsApp launching several new features like emoji reactions for messages, the ability to transfer chats between iOS and Android, and muting specific participants on voice calls. But that's not all. WhatsApp is also developing a handful of exciting features that may make their way to iOS and Android smartphones soon. It's worth keeping in mind that these features are currently in development and are yet to be officially announced by WhatsApp.

View past group participants

WhatsApp is working on the ability to view past participants in groups. As of today, you can only see a list of current members of a WhatsApp group. But soon, you might be able to discover the list of people who exited the group — or were removed in the last 60 days. This list will be visible to everyone in the group, which means it won't be limited to group admins.

Status reactions

You may soon be able to react to a WhatsApp Status, just like Instagram and Facebook. You will be able to choose from any of the available emojis and your reaction will be sent as a message.

WhatsApp chat updates

Another useful feature that has been spotted in development is an official “chat” from WhatsApp where the company could announce new features coming to the app, share tips and tricks, and provide information about the app's features.

WhatsApp Avatars

Instagram and Facebook have already rolled out a Facebook Avatars feature that allows you to create your own personalised 3D cartoon image and use it in chats and Stories. Now WhatsApp could soon add support for the same Facebook Avatars on the app. You might be able to use an avatar as a mask while placing a video call and as a sticker.

Hide online status

You might feel the need to hide your online status if you don't want to be disturbed when you're online on WhatsApp. This is an important privacy feature that users have been requesting for years. WhatsApp has been spotted working on a feature that could let you hide your online status. You may get two new options: “Everyone” and “Same as Last Seen”, which will let you choose who can see you when you are online.

Admin delete

Another notable feature that WhatsApp is currently working on is Admin delete. This feature is said to allow group admins to delete any message in a group. If this feature is released then admins will finally have more control over their groups. They can choose to delete any message sent by a member, which will remove the message for all existing group members.

Companion mode

WhatsApp is also expected to launch a new Companion mode. This is another highly demanded feature. Currently, you can only use your WhatsApp account on one phone and PC, but with the Companion mode, which is currently in development, you may be able to access your WhatsApp account on multiple devices, including your tablets, phones and PC. You won't have to log out of one phone to use WhatsApp on another phone, and you may also be able to link a secondary mobile device to your existing WhatsApp account.

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