Instant messaging app WhatsApp had launched its Status feature in 2017 and since then, the Facebook-owned company is making continuous efforts to make it as popular and engaging as the Snapchat Stories. The app has also released several updates in the past and this time as well, the company has some big plans.
According to a report in Mashable, WhatsApp is developing a new algorithm which could load Status updates in the most relevant order possible. This new algorithm, it said, in works would sort Status updates to first show Status updates for contacts a user interacts with the most.
As per the current algorithm, WhatsApp shows Status updates from all people in the contact list in the reverse chronological order, with the most recent status update shown first.
The feature also includes updates from even those contacts who the user may never have had a conversation with. This new update would fix that and show the user Status based on who the user interacts with the most or whose status they see more often among other similar factors.
The feature is already being released to some Apple devices in India, Brazil and Spain. This development would mean that the new feature is first released to Apple users and then to Android devices across the world, the report says.
Moreover, WhatsApp is also working on two major updates that includes ability to find businesses directly in app and needing group admins for permission from users prior to adding them to the said group.
As per the WaBetaInfo report, WhatsApp will also add “Find businesses” as a third option right below the New Contact option. It is, however, not clear what the feature would entail but speculations are ripe that the feature would enable users to find businesses based on category or by name.
In addition, WhatsApp’s Group invitation is another feature which is eagerly awaited by users who are tired of random group additions on the platform. The app is developing a feature which will need admins to ask consent of the users they are adding in any group.
The “Groups” option will be added inside Settings, allowing users to manage the groups’ privacy setting. In order to launch this feature, users can visit Settings and then Account. Post that, go to Privacy and then choose Groups and select “Who can add me to groups.” This will pop three options that include Everyone, Nobody and My contacts.
Selecting everybody means everyone can add the user to any group without receiving any invites. On the other hand, if users choose My contacts, they will be be added in groups only from their contact list and in addition will also receive an invite to join the said group from people not in the contacts list. Lastly, choosing the Nobody option will never add the user directly to any groups on the platform and instead they will receive invitation request every single time anyone wants them to add them to any group.
