Technology Mania : WhatsApp for Business

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Old WhatsApp status makes a return as ‘WhatsApp Info’, ‘Revoke’ feature renamed to ‘Unsend’

Image: AFP

By Rehan Hooda / 28 Feb 2017 , 13:21

WhatsApp has faced a considerable amount of backlash and criticism from users ever since it rolled out the new ‘WhatsApp Status‘ feature. The company has been panned by users to copying Snapchat and Instagram and removing the old WhatsApp ‘Status’.

Keeping the customer feedback in mind, the company is planning to bring the old version of ‘Status’ back but one thing to note is that this does not mean that WhatsApp is removing the new Snapchat-like disappearing ‘Status’ update feature.

WhatsApp Status Info, WhatsApp Unsend Revoke

The ‘Info’ section is available as a hidden feature on the beta version of WhatsApp and has been introduced in the extended menu above the ‘Settings’ option on Android. Tapping that will bring the users to the all familiar ‘Status’ menu which has been renamed to ‘Info’.

The changes have been added to the ‘Profile’ section too and the ‘Info’ has been added back to the profile. One thing to note is that the company had previously renamed the Old status to ‘Tagline’ as reported by WABetaInfo. Another interesting thing is that the company seems to have rolled out the message ‘revoke’ feature that we previously reported.

WhatsApp developers have renamed the feature to ‘Unsend’ from the previous name of ‘Revoke’. This option is available in the three dot menu on the top right-hand centre when you long press to select a message. On tapping the ‘Unsend’ message, WhatsApp asks you to confirm if you want to ‘Unsend this message?’ On confirmation, the message that you sent turns to ‘This message was unsent’.

The feature is not enabled from WhatsApp servers so this does not reflect on the other side, but this points out that the feature is set to rollout for everyone in near future.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

WhatsApp maybe working on separate app for Business; ability to unsend messages coming soon

Image: AFP

By tech2 News Staff / 14 Dec 2016 , 17:40

WhatsApp is working on the ability to allow users to ‘revoke’ messages using a ‘revoke’ function. Currently, the functionality is limited to the beta version of iOS where you are presented with the option to ‘revoke’ the message when you long press on a message inside a chat. The feature is available in personal chat, but there is no clarity about the feature arriving in group chat.

This new feature has not made its way in the Android beta version at the time of writing this article. After the rollout of video calling feature last month, this is the most significant feature that will make its way to WhatsApp. Once you select the ‘revoke’ option, it removes the message from the inbox of the recipient which will be a saviour for many who previously sent messages in wrong groups or to people other than the ones intended to receive the message.

Image Credit: WABetaInfo

The addition of this functionality will enrich the feature-set offered by WhatsApp, and the app shows “Sender revoked the message” in place of the revoked message. The notification of the revoked message makes it useful for people to know that there was some message and makes it impossible to make the conversation seem out of context. Still, it is too early for use to say if the feature is useful, we will have to wait and watch about how the company will strike a balance between the usability of the feature and potential misuse of the app.

Image Credit: WABetaInfo

According to reports by reliable WhatsApp information source on upcoming features WA Beta Info, WhatsApp may be working on a separate app for Business users. The second app is being referred to as WhatsApp for Business aimed at business users. It’s not confirmed if the Business app will be different or WhatsApp will let two profiles, business and personal profiles run in the same app. The profile system will not make sense and WhatsApp will probably keep a check that each device can only use one personal and one business profile.

There are concerns about the app being bloated, but let’s see how that develops. WABetaInfo also pointed out that the company will allow companies to set up Business contacts which will be verified by WhatsApp. Businesses can then use WhatsApp to send advertisements in place of SMSes and you can allow the messages or block the sender.