WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will make the messaging app look and work a bit like Instragram. The Meta-owned messaging platform might soon let users view other people’s status updates from the chat list. This feature is going to be similar to how Instagram users can see other people’s Stories directly from the messaging list.
Screenshots captured by WABetaInfo show how status updates published by one user can be seen by others from right inside the chat list when one searches for chats and messages. Once the feature rolls out, if a user clicks on the chat cell, the conversation would open up. But if the profile photo is clicked on (with the green “status rings”), that will show you the status and its subsequent updates.
This feature will also allow users to skip going to the ‘Status’ tab to view people’s updates. WhatsApp’s Status updates work the same way Instagram’s Stories do and the former hasn’t been as popular though since users essentially need to go to another tab to access these. Instagram allows users to see other people’s stories right from their timeline. The new feature, if and when it rolls in, might get users to view Status updates more.
The screenshot shared by WABetaInfo is taken from a future build of WhatsApp Desktop. However, when WhatsApp makes this official, it is going to be available for iOS and Android both. It is not known when WhatsApp might make this happen, and since it is just being worked on right now, if at all.
WhatsApp has been rolling out a lot of new features for users lately including the option to mute certain users during voice and video calls, support to hide profile pic, status, and last seen from certain contacts, and so on.
