WhatsApp is introducing Instant Video Messages to its platform which, as you can probably guess, allows people to send short video messages to chats.
According to the platform, you have up to 60 seconds to say whatever you want, be it wishing a friend happy birthday wish or giving them good news. Recording a video works similarly to recording an audio message. All you have to do is tap the microphone icon in the bottom corner to turn it into the camera option. Pressing and holding the button records the clip. Swiping up on the camera icon after holding it locks the video for a hands-free recording.
There are a couple of things you need to be aware of regarding the new feature. First, the videos will play without any sound although tapping the screen unmutes them. Second, the messages don’t take up the whole screen as they’re confined to a circular space. It’s a big enough view for most recordings, but be aware the sides of the clip will be cut off. Naturally, the end-to-end encryption the service is known for will be applied to Instant Video Messages to keep them secure.
The official announcement states this update is currently “rolling out and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.” So be sure to keep an eye for the patch when it arrives. It’s unknown if the messages are permanent or if they’ll automatically delete themselves after a period of time like Snapchat Stories. We reached out to Meta for clarification. This story will be updated at a later time.
Future safety upgrade
Meta is constantly testing out WhatsApp features, and if you were to take a look at the most recent beta, you’ll see the company is working on new safety tools for the platform. WABetaInfo recently stated that in the future, whenever you get a text from an unknown number, a window will appear to allow users to instantly block or report the person who contacted you out of the blue. Below those tools will be a series of suggestions on ways you can stay safe in chats and improve your security. On top of that, the report claims that Meta has plans to introduce a way to disable read receipts for those mystery numbers.
It’s unknown at the moment when the safety update will launch. If you’re on Android, you can try it out yourself by first joining the Google Play Store Beta Program then downloading the most recent WhatsApp Beta build. Spots are limited so there’s a chance you may not gain access.
If you are looking for ways to protect your online data, check out TechRadar’s list of the identity theft protection software for 2023.