WhatsApp is getting yet another improvement on iOS with a new beta version, reports 9to5Mac, and this time users with iPhones are getting a new interface to watch videos from Instagram, YouTube, and other sites. Android users already got a similar beta update, and now, iOS users are also getting it.
WhatsApp for iOS gets a new PiP interface
Version 2.21.220.15 for WhatsApp for iPhones is now getting the redesigned UI that Android beta testers got earlier this month. The new interface brings picture-in-picture video reproduction in the app with a new control bar. The new improvement was first noted by WABetaInfo.
The new control bar iOS users will be getting on WhatsApp will allow moving the PiP view easily. Additionally, it also brings some helpful shortcuts, like the possibility to end the video or full-screen mode. The new feature will slowly roll out to the public and for now, it’s only available for WhatsApp beta testers.
However, it’s not only this change that’s coming with the new WhatsApp for iOS versions. Some beta testers will also notice another small improvement when playing a YouTube video within WhatsApp. Reportedly, the app will immediately show the vid in full-screen mode. This feature is rolled out to a specific set of beta testers for the moment.
Keep in mind that this could not see the light of an official release, as some of the features tested in the beta version might not end up released in the stable version.
“WhatsApp from Meta”
To reflect the change of Facebook’s company name, WhatsApp’s branding will be changed from “WhatsApp from Facebook” to “WhatsApp from Meta”.
Facebook has now started a rebranding procedure and the company that owns the social media platform will, from now on, be called Meta. Meta owns Instagram and WhatsApp as well. The new change was announced by Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s CEO, and it is reflecting the overall focus Zuckerberg wants to take. The new brand name is going to encompass everything the company does and not only the social media aspect of its business. The name comes from metaverse, which is a term used to describe an alternative, virtual universe where people can escape from reality. The name reflects Zuckerberg’s plans and hopes for the future and what the company wants to focus on and build. Zuckerberg announced he is striving for a billion users in the metaverse in ten years from now.
Other recent improvements in WhatsApp
As we reported above, WhatsApp for Android beta testers has already gotten the new PiP interface. The change is cosmetical as the old version had the controls for play/pause, share, go fullscreen inside the video window. The redesigned UI introduces a control bar.
Another useful feature the company is currently working on (however, the feature is not yet present in a beta version of the app) is the ability to pause and start recording voice messages. The new feature will allow you to stop recording a voice message at any time, and then, resume when you are ready. Currently, the voice recording feature only allows you to play back the message before you send it.
This feature has not yet rolled out to any users or WhatsApp beta testers, but it will most likely arrive to both Android and iOS users sometime in the future.
Another feature related to a voice recording that’s also currently in the works is the ability for users to keep listening to a long audio message even after they leave the conversation. This will give WhatsApp users more possibility for multitasking.
Apart from that, WhatsApp has also been working on a Community feature and end-to-end encrypted backups.
