BANGALORE: As stated by the CEO, Jan Koum, WhatsApp instant messenger has over one billion monthly active users worldwide. This announcement comes within 5 months after the company had revealed their statistics of 900 million monthly active users. Recently it has launched an official android beta testing program where you get notifications on new features added to Whatsapp. Check out the latest updates from the Instant Messaging giant.

Whatsapp video calling:

The company has come up with one of the most awaited Whatsapp video calling feature which was available on the beta version (v2.16.80) of the application. Once this feature starts functioning, it would be a huge blow to the other messenger apps such as skype, snapchat, hangout and viber, which are currently the leading providers of video calling service. As of now, it looks like the company has pulled out the feature, but will be setting it on trial with a group of testers.

This video calling option was first spotted last week in those versions of app available via beta testing program. The function was accessible through call button, which further gave options for voice calls and video calls.

End-to-end encryption:

This is a new feature on Whatsapp, which helps protect the privacy of Whatsapp users. Not many other communication platforms use the feature of encryption. In this digital age, encryption is one of major tools used to promote safety and data security.  End to end encryption protects the users from threats of illegal access to digital information and communications.

End-to-end encryption makes communication private. A third party cannot read the data or messages sent from your device. Neither Whatsapp employees nor cyber criminals will be able to gain access to your private messaging zone. It ensures that the text is read only by the person to whom you have sent or by the members in a group if the message is being shared in Whatsapp groups. The feature is active by default in the latest version of Whatsapp.

Text formatting options:

Watsapp has introduced a new text formatting option which helps to type messages in bold, italics or strike through by simply placing specific symbols on either side of the texts.

You can use the bold option by placing an asterisk on either side of the word:*bold*

You can italicize something by placing an underscores on either side of the word: _italics_

You can strike through something by placing a tilde on either sides of the word: ~strike through~

You can also combine any of these symbols to either side of word or sentence to get the desired format.           

In addition to the above features, the company has made improvements in group messaging and annual subscription charges as well. It has enhanced the group messaging service by raising the capacity of a single group to 256 members.However, there are no changes in the method of creating groups, and this feature is available in both Android and iOS. Seeking increased user participation, the company has also dropped its annual subscription fee of $1. While these new updates won’t show any significant changes in the interface design of the platform, it would definitely account for business augmentation in the days ahead.

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