Kachi Ogbonna

Instant messaging app, WhatsApp, last week rolled out a series of features that enhance user experience on the app. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta, who also owns WhatsApp took to his Facebook page on May 5, 2022, to announce the rollout of new reaction emojis on WhatsApp. Not long after there was official announcement by WhatsApp confirming other features that have been added. Some of the features include the expansion of group size limit and Admin’s ability to delete any message in a group.

WhatsApp New Features

Here are the new WhatsApp features recently unveiled and which every user should begin to enjoy once one update one’s app:

Group participants limit increased

WhatsApp users will now be able to add up to 512 people to a group. This was initially 256. But with this update users can have exactly double the former number in a WhatsApp group.  This is one of the features users have been advocating for. And as a matter of fact many people have to migrate some of their groups to Telegram to accommodate more members.

So I am sure this is going to be very much of a welcome development. Even though it is still a far cry from the 2,000 group limit that Telegram offers. But I think Telegram has to watch it also.

Admin Delete

I think this is another feature that many users have longed for all along. Sometimes you have some difficult members send pictures or messages that clearly goes against the group rules and the Admin is incapacitated from doing anything as only the poster have the power to delete what he or she posted. Most times the best an Admin can do is remove the offending person from the group. But then the damage is done already and cannot be undone by anyone else. But now, if a group member sends anything offensive , the admin now has the power to ‘delete for everyone’.

Increase in file sharing size

WhatsApp users will now be able to send files up to 2GB in size at once on the app. This represents a major leap from the previous limit of 100MB.

WhatsApp has killed many things already. And I think this new feature will automatically increase the already existing threat to email. It is a common knowledge that most corporate bodies now accept WhatsApp as a formal means of communication. And that includes sending official reports. With this new feature of attaching a file that is up to 2GB in size I am wondering why anyone will still want to send emails.

WhatsApp Reactions

The new reaction emojis will allow users to react with six different emojis on the platform. These emojis are laughing face, red heart, surprised face, thumbs up, teary face, and hands together.
To use the feature, just long-press on a message and choose one of the displayed emojis. Just like Instagram, users can change their reactions to a different one by long-pressing the same messages and changing the emoji or just clicking on the same one to remove it.

WhatsApp also notes a few things about the Reaction feature: Users can only add one reaction per message. And it disappears when the messages disappear. Also, users will not be able to hide the reactions or the reaction counts. The recipients might see the reaction before you remove it or if removing it was not successful.

Larger Voice Calls

This feature allows a one-tap voice calling for up to 32 people with all-new design for those times when talking live is better than chatting. I am sure Zoom is watching with Keen interest from San Jose right now.

Conclusion on WhatsApp New Features

WhatsApp is gradually becoming one of the most powerful social media app today.

These new features will, no doubt, enhance user experience on WhatsApp. That users can now send large files up to 2GB is a great improvement over the previous 100MB limit. But the 512 limit for group participants is still a drawback that will continue to push groups with larger numbers to Telegrams.

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