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WhatsApp is turning up the heat in the messaging wars with a wave of new features across chats, calls, and channels—aimed squarely at staying ahead of rivals like Telegram and Discord.
One of the standout additions is the new “Online” indicator in group chats, which shows how many members are currently active, making it easier to jump into real-time conversations. Alongside that, users can now manage group chat notifications more precisely with the new “Notify for” setting. This lets you filter alerts to just highlights like @mentions, replies, and messages from saved contacts—or choose to get notified for everything, if you prefer staying fully in the loop.
For iPhone users, several quality-of-life enhancements are coming in hot. You can now scan and send documents directly from within the app using a built-in “Scan Document” option under attachments. Apple users can also now set WhatsApp as their default app for messaging and calling—integrating it more seamlessly into daily communication. During video calls, pinch-to-zoom has been added, allowing for a more interactive viewing experience.
Video calling also sees a serious upgrade. WhatsApp says it has enhanced its calling technology to boost reliability and quality, reducing dropped calls and frozen screens. With improved bandwidth detection, users should see more HD-quality video calls, even on weaker connections.
The platform’s events feature, once limited to group chats, now supports creation within 1:1 conversations a helpful addition for more personal planning. New RSVP options, including a “maybe” status, the ability to bring a plus one, set an end time, and pin events to the top of the chat, are also being rolled out for smoother scheduling.
Adding to its seamless experience, WhatsApp now lets users invite others into an ongoing 1:1 call directly from the chat thread. Just tap the call icon and select “Add to call” no need to hang up and start over.
On the channels side, three key updates are aimed at making engagement easier and richer. Admins can now record and share short video updates, give followers a direct link to their content with custom QR codes, and offer written summaries of voice messages, making it easier for followers to stay updated on the go.
These updates collectively signal WhatsApp’s push to evolve from a messaging app into a more dynamic, all-in-one communication platform balancing speed, flexibility, and control for users who expect more from their everyday chat experience.
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