WhatsApp to get new linked device, storage usage UI soon

KEY STORY 

• WhatsApp is arguably one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. In the past couple of days, reports have detailed features such as a calls feature on WhatsApp Web, a joined missed calls feature and an upgraded biometric lock feature on Android devices that will be making their way to WhatsApp in the coming days. Now, a new report details new features that will be available in the app soon.

• First in line is the Linked New Devices feature. WhatsApp, as per a report by WABetaInfo, has released a new user interface for WhatsApp Web and its desktop-based app. Up until now, when users clicked on WhatsApp Web/Desktop in the Settings, they used to see a QR code scanner on their screens that enabled them to scan the QR code on WhatsApp Web to access the messaging platform on a different device. Now the company has made changes to this user interface.

• The updated UI label shows “Use WhatsApp on other devices” which sits on top of the ‘Link a Device’ button. The blog site says that the Link a Device button will enable users to create new sessions using WhatsApp Web on other devices. This feature, however, will be available in the future.

• The company has also updated the user interface of the Storage Usage section of the app. Firstly, the section has been renamed as Storage and Data. It was previously called Data and Storage Usage. The older UI had the Media Auto-Download section on top. The new UI has it on the bottom of the screen. The company has also moved the Manage Storage Usage section on the top which gives way to the section wherein users can see the amount of storage space that they have used and the files that they can delete to free up some space.

• Under the Storage section in the new UI, the company has placed the Network section, which holds the Network Usage sub-section and the toggle button to use less data during the calls. In the older UI, these two sub-sections were placed under the different sections.

CONCLUSION

• The blog site notes that the new Storage Usage UI no longer has the option to delete specific media from a chat. WhatsApp is yet to roll out this feature in the main version of the app.