What you need to know
- WhatsApp's CEO Will Cathcart and Mark Zuckerberg have apparently just revealed a host of new features coming to the messaging service.
- A new report says that disappearing messages and a 'view once' mode are on the way.
- They also confirmed support for multiple devices on one account, and the potential for an iPad app.
WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart and Mark Zuckerberg have surprised WhatsApp beta outlet WABetaInfo with a one-on-one conversation in which the pair confirmed numerous new features coming to the platform in the future.
From WABetaInfo:
Some days ago WhatsApp reached out to me to ask if we could move on WhatsApp to discuss new features to come on the application. We used WhatsApp to chat in a group with the WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart! We started to chat, but I felt so weird because this was an amazing experience. The chat starts with a message from Will, where he thanks me for my work reporting news and WhatsApp features.
Things took an even stranger turn when Mark Zuckerberg joined the chat, and the two went on to tell the outlet about a bunch of new features coming to messaging on WhatsApp.
Disappearing messages are on the way, as well as a new 'View Once' mode that will let users send photos and videos that can only be opened once before they disappear from the chat.
Arguably the biggest announcement was support for multiple devices, Zuckerberg said it was a big challenge but was on the way, and that WhatsApp planned to roll out multiple device support in a public beta within two months.
From questions, the pair confirmed that multiple devices will support up to four linked devices. They also said they are planning to expand the iOS WhatsApp beta, and most excitingly of all, they confirmed multiple device support would pave the way for WhatsApp on iPad. It would also mean better synchronization with WhatsApp on Mac, which is one of the best messaging apps for Mac currently available.
