WhatsApp Status Takes Cues from Instagram Stories: Tagging Contacts Introduced
Key Takeaways
- - Meta's influence on WhatsApp evident with new features like tagging contacts in status updates.
- - WhatsApp's status updates offer creative freedom and now may include tagging for better visibility.
- - Developments like the in-development tagging feature and the new story shelf design show WhatsApp's focus on improving the user experience.
WhatsApp, a stalwart in the messaging realm for close to two decades, has undergone notable changes since its acquisition by Meta ten years ago. Meta's other social media platforms, notably Instagram and Messenger, have significantly influenced the evolution of WhatsApp, particularly in the realm of Stories, status updates, and ephemeral messaging. Now, WhatsApp seems poised to adopt yet another feature from Instagram by introducing the ability for users to tag their contacts in status updates.
WhatsApp's status updates have long served as a convenient avenue for users to share images and videos with their contacts, bypassing the restrictions associated with message forwarding. These updates automatically vanish after 24 hours, granting users considerable creative freedom with features like annotation, link sharing, and textual updates. Despite these enhancements, Meta has preserved WhatsApp's essence as a personal messaging platform, distinct from the more social-centric options on Facebook and Instagram.
However, recent developments suggest a shift in this paradigm. Beta testers at WABetaInfo recently uncovered WhatsApp's experimentation with contact tagging for stories, akin to the tagging feature present in Instagram and Facebook stories. Although still in the developmental phase, this feature surfaced in beta version 2.24.6.19. While it remains unclear if these tags will be visible to all status viewers, tagged contacts will receive instant notifications about the status update, ensuring they do not miss out on important content. Moreover, this tagging capability presents an opportunity for users to share moments with a broader audience while extending special recognition to specific individuals.
Details surrounding this feature are currently sparse, leaving questions about limitations on the number of people that can be tagged, the possibility of tagging individuals not in one's contacts, and the visibility of tagged posts. Nevertheless, this feature represents a promising alternative to simply informing contacts about shared status updates.
Support for pinning messages and conversations appears to be a priority for WhatsApp developers alongside status updates. Recent sightings of a new status shelf design, providing users with previews of media posted by their contacts, further underscore WhatsApp's commitment to enhancing the user experience. With anticipation building, users eagerly await further insights into these upcoming features.