Whatsapp Reactions is now starting worldwide. This is behind the new function that has been in development for a long time.
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Whatsapp users can now show a reaction to incoming messages
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Update May 5, 2022:
Here we go with a new long-in-development new Whatsapp feature. above
WhatsApp reactions
users can now react to received messages with emojis. As Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg personally announced in a Facebook post, the new function will be “rolled out” to users worldwide with immediate effect. We haven’t been able to use the new feature yet, but that’s likely to change in the next few hours or days.
Whatsapp reactions is ultimately a function that is already known from other chat programs and social networks: users can react to a message – for example in a group chat – with six emojis to choose from: thumbs up, heart, smiling smiley, surprised smiley, sad smiley and hands folded in prayer. Once the user has selected a reaction, an icon will appear at the bottom right under the message
.
Whatsapp Reactions is just the start, as Whatsapp plans to roll out more innovations over the next few weeks. You can read more about this in the original message…
Original message from April 19, 2022:
In the next few weeks, Whatsapp will be
four new functions
introduce, which should serve as the basis for a more far-reaching innovation: the launch of
Whatsapp communities.
Before the launch of Whatsapp Communities, Whatsapp introduces various new features in group chats. These should create the basis for the communities and allow users to share content better and prevent possible flooding of group chats with messages. According to Whatsapp, the following functions will be available in the next few weeks:
Reactions:
Users can react to messages with emojis in order to express their opinion on a chat message in a very short form without having to compose a new chat message.
Deletion by admin:
Group admins get the ability to delete irrelevant or problematic messages in group chats, making them no longer visible to all users.
Sharing files:
In the future, files up to 2 GB in size can be shared via group chats. This should, among other things, make it easier to work together on projects.
Larger groups on voice calls:
Not everything can always be clarified in writing with chat messages. A voice conversation is often useful. Whatsapp increases the number of users who are allowed to participate in such a voice call at the same time to up to 32 participants. There is also a completely redesigned interface for voice calls.
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Whatsapp users will receive these functions in the coming weeks
The first reports about the introduction of Whatsapp communities were already available in November 2021, when corresponding information was discovered in the source code. Several group chats are to be combined into one community via Whatsapp communities and group admins should be able to manage groups more easily.
In a blog post, Whatsapp now also officially comments on these “Whatsapp communities” and explains:
“They will make it possible to bring different groups on WhatsApp under one roof and organize them in a meaningful way. Members will receive information that is sent to the entire community and can open smaller discussion groups on their own topics.”
All messages exchanged in these communities are secured by end-to-end encryption, so members of a community can be sure that their messages cannot be read by strangers.
There will also be comprehensive management functions for the communities. Like sending announcements to all members and controlling which groups can be included in a community. These functions are intended to make it easier for school leaders to provide parents with important information and to set up groups for special courses, extracurricular activities or volunteers.
In the blog post, Whatsapp also takes a dig at the competition. So it says there:
“While other apps allow chats with tens of thousands of participants, we focus on supporting the groups that are part of our daily lives.”
Whatsapp does not reveal when WhatsApp communities can start. We are still at the very beginning and creating the new functions required for them will be a focus of work in the coming year.