Messaging service WhatsApp could soon be introducing a new messaging feature that would allow users to recall their messages after they have been sent.
This would give many users peace of mind in knowing that they can recall a message they may have sent by mistake. The feature is one that has been long awaited by a number of the tool’s user base, which surpassed the one billion mark this time last year.
Users of the service will be able to delete a message from the receiver’s phone should the message remain unread, easing the minds of those who panic after sending either a risky message or deliver one to the wrong recipient by accident.
The function is currently undergoing a testing phase on the beta version of the service’s next update. This is alongside a feature that will allow users to simply edit messages that have been sent and unread by the recipient.
The company tests all of its new features with the beta versions of its app before making them available to its whole customer base, although it remains unclear as to when the delete and edit features will be officially released.
Furthermore, WhatsApp has not limited its testing with these delete and edit functions; it is also testing a new function that would make it much easier for a user to coordinate a meeting between a group of friends.
This feature would be unique to WhatsApp, and allows users to send their friend a moving location, so that they can easily find one another when on the move. This feature is called Live Location Tracking and allows users to show their movements to their friends within a group chat. Users can opt to share this position for a limited time of either one, two or five minutes at a time.
This builds on WhatsApp’s current locational feature, which permits users to send their exact location to a recipient at any given time.
It is widely speculated that should a user want to use this feature, they would have to manually turn it on due to privacy fears. This is also undergoing tests at present and a timeframe for it to be released to all users has yet to be announced.
Facebook-owned WhatsApp is testing a whole host of new features at present and its biggest focus is to add live features that would take the service beyond simple text messaging. These tests include video calling and spam reporting. It has also been testing a Snapchat-esque feature that allows users to edit and draw on pictures, called Status.
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[…] first made plans for the feature back in February this year, although nothing has been mentioned […]