Endless bombardment with notifications from WhatsApp group chats could become a thing of the past, thanks to a new feature being trialled.
Users may soon be able to send private replies to individual members within a group, rather than posting them publicly.
The new ‘reply privately’ function is one of a number currently being beta tested on the messaging app, including a ‘picture in picture’ mode.
Endless bombardment with notifications from WhatsApp group chats could become a thing of the past, thanks to a new feature being trialled. Users may soon be able to send private replies to individual members within a group, rather than posting them publicly
The new ability emerged after it was spotted by WABetaInfo in the latest beta edition of the desktop and web based version of the app.
‘Reply privately’ will let you respond directly to a message without having to leave the group chat.
It will be accessed by long pressing on the reply option, which will bring up a menu of available actions.
The feature could down on the numerous notifications generated during group conversations.
Writing in a blog post about the finding, a WABetaInfo spokesman said: ‘WhatsApp is improving the reply feature, and in future the app will allow the user to privately reply to a message received in a group.
‘When selected, WhatsApp will automatically open the chat with the contact to send a message.
‘The sent message will quote the group message.
The new ‘picture in picture’ mode will let users watch sent and received videos in a separate window from within a chat.
The new ‘picture in picture’ mode will let user watch sent and received videos in a separate window from within a chat
A new icon (left), depicting a small black rectangle within a larger white one, will show up to let you activate the feature
A new icon, depicting a small black rectangle within a larger white one, will show up to let you activate the feature.
When you click on this option, a pop up video player will appear showing the clip within a chat.
Back in November, WhatsApp fixed one of the irritations of using the Messenger app by allowing YouTube clips to be played directly in a chat as part of its latest iOS update.
When users tap on a YouTube link in a conversation they no longer have to leave the app in order to watch it.
Instead the video appears with a floating window on the screen so users can message friends and watch videos simultaneously.
Back in November, WhatsApp fixed one of the irritations of using the Messenger app by allowing YouTube clips to be played directly in a chat as part of its latest iOS update