WhatsApp testing on showing status updates in chats list

WhatsApp is now testing the ability to show users Status updates immediately from their Chats list or when searching for any of their contacts within the programme.

New Delhi: WhatsApp has been revealed to be testing the ability to display Status updates from the Chats list. Users will be able to rapidly check the statuses of their contacts thanks to the new addition, which is expected to increase the Status feature on the instant messaging service. WhatsApp has also been found working on a feature that would allow users to create group polls on the desktop. It would allow members of the group to vote for a specific option and view the total number of votes cast.

According to WABetaInfo, the instant messaging app owned by Facebook parent Meta is now testing the ability to show users Status updates immediately from their Chats list or when searching for any of their contacts within the programme. According to the report, status updates will surface when the user hits the profile image of their contact. This appears to be similar to how you can now view the Stories shared by the accounts you follow on Meta's Instagram.

"Another improvement for status updates is coming in a future update of WhatsApp beta," the report said.

"If you have an Instagram account, you know that it is also possible to view status updates right within the list of your private chats. Today, we can finally announce that the same feature is also coming to WhatsApp!" it added.

Since February 2017, WhatsApp has had the Status feature in place to provide users with an Instagram Stories-like engaging experience. The feature has been accessible through the app's dedicated Status tab since its launch. WhatsApp, on the other hand, appears to be broadening the feature's reach by allowing users to bring their Status updates to the Chats list, where they can be seen more prominently.

In a screenshot, it was seen that the contact had published a status update, which can also be seen right within the chats list or when the user is searching for chats and messages.

If the user clicks on the chat cell, WhatsApp opens the conversation with the contact but if they click on the profile picture of the contact that published a status update, their status update shows up.

A recent report said that WhatsApp is likely working on a feature that would let users chat with the same account on multiple phones, or a phone and a tablet.

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