WhatsApp Features Added in 2019: Everything New That WhatsApp Has Added This Year

WhatsApp has had a busy 2019, and it's only been three months into the new year. The Facebook-owned instant messaging app has already launched several new features for iPhone and Android users both. Apart from new features like Tipline, WhatsApp Web PiP improvements, Reply Privately feature for iPhone, and the restriction to forwarding chats, WhatsApp has also rolled out its Business app for iPhone users in seven countries. Apart from these features, a host of features like a new privacy setting for group invites and the ability to download a single sticker were also spotted in beta testing.
We take you down memory lane to recap all the things WhatsApp rolled out in 2019, all the things that were spotted in beta testing, and all the things that are under development.

New WhatsApp features (stable version)

1. WhatsApp Business app for iPhone global rollout

After testing it out for a significant amount of time, WhatsApp started rolling out the Business App for iPhone users in seven countries, including India. It is now officially available in a total of seven countries, namely India, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, the UK, and the US. It will be made available across the world in the coming weeks. To recall, the WhatsApp Business app is a standalone app targeted at small businesses looking for a quick and efficient way to connect with their customers. WhatsApp Business for Android has been available for a year now. If you live in one of the countries mentioned above, you can download the app from App Store.

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WhatsApp Features Added in 2019: Everything New That WhatsApp Has Added This Year

WhatsApp features introduced in 2019 include changes to its forward function, and more

Highlights

WhatsApp Business for iPhone rolled out globally recently

A new Tipline feature was unveiled to tackle fake news in India

WhatsApp also curbed forwarding a message to five chats

WhatsApp has had a busy 2019, and it's only been three months into the new year. The Facebook-owned instant messaging app has already launched several new features for iPhone and Android users both. Apart from new features like Tipline, WhatsApp Web PiP improvements, Reply Privately feature for iPhone, and the restriction to forwarding chats, WhatsApp has also rolled out its Business app for iPhone users in seven countries. Apart from these features, a host of features like a new privacy setting for group invites and the ability to download a single sticker were also spotted in beta testing.
We take you down memory lane to recap all the things WhatsApp rolled out in 2019, all the things that were spotted in beta testing, and all the things that are under development.

New WhatsApp features (stable version)

1. WhatsApp Business app for iPhone global rollout

After testing it out for a significant amount of time, WhatsApp started rolling out the Business App for iPhone users in seven countries, including India. It is now officially available in a total of seven countries, namely India, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, the UK, and the US. It will be made available across the world in the coming weeks. To recall, the WhatsApp Business app is a standalone app targeted at small businesses looking for a quick and efficient way to connect with their customers. WhatsApp Business for Android has been available for a year now. If you live in one of the countries mentioned above, you can download the app from App Store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. WhatsApp Tipline feature introduced

In a bid to crack down on fake news ahead of the general election in the country, WhatsApp unveiled its ''Checkpoint Tipline'' feature where people can check the authenticity of information received. People in India can submit misinformation or rumours they receive to the Checkpoint Tipline on WhatsApp (+91-9643-000-888). Once a WhatsApp user shares a suspicious message with the tipline, Proto's verification centre will seek to respond and inform the user if the claim made in message shared is verified or not. The response will indicate if information is classified as true, false, misleading, disputed or out of scope.

WhatsApp Tipline feature supports Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, and Malayalam

Proto has since clarified the tipline is essentially a research project, and is "not a helpline" that will respond to all of the users' queries on WhatsApp. Gadgets 360 shared a number of links and few photos with the Checkpoint tipline, but haven't received any response yet apart from the automated replies.

 

3. WhatsApp Web PiP mode improvements

WhatsApp introduced Picture-in-Picture mode for desktop users last year, but at that time, it only worked for the videos shared by the users themselves. With an update in February, WhatsApp Web users got the ability to use Picture-in-Picture mode for all video links, with support for Facebook, YouTube, Streamable, and Instagram video links introduced. This feature came with WhatsApp Web version 0.3.2041 update.

4. WhatsApp Business on Web and Desktop improvements

To mark the first anniversary of the launch of WhatsApp Business app, WhatsApp introduced quick replies, labels, and chat list filtering on the Web version as well as the desktop clients of the Business app. These features were already available to WhatsApp Business users on mobile, but since January, these can now also be used on the Web version as well as WhatsApp desktop apps.

5. WhatsApp limits forwards to 5 chats globally

To combat fake news on its chat platform, WhatsApp limited the forward feature to just five chats. This feature was first rolled out to Indian users in July last year, and in January, the company rolled it out to all users globally. This change came as part of WhatsApp's aim to maintain the image of a 'private messaging app' rather than one infamous for the spreading of fake news.

6. WhatsApp for iPhone gets Reply Privately feature

In the first week of 2019, WhatsApp rolled out an update for iPhone users, bringing many new features like Reply Privately support in WhatsApp Groups, ability to add stickers to photos and videos, and 3D Touch support to preview a contact's status. The Reply Privately feature allows the participants of a group to reply privately to a chat in their 1:1 chat. To use the feature, the WhatsApp users will have to tap and hold a message in a group chat and select More, then select Reply Privately. Android users got this feature last year.

7. WhatsApp for iPhone gets Sticker Support in Media

In the same WhatsApp update, the chat app also introduced the ability to add stickers to media for iPhone users. Tap on the smiley icon while editing a photo or a video to add stickers to media. It is quite simple to use and lets users drag and drop the stickers to the desired spot in the photos and videos. Earlier, the messenger app only supported adding emojis, text, free-handed drawings on the photo and videos and three content stickers – Analog Clock, Digital Clock, and Location.