WhatsApp has announced it is rolling out multiple new features today that have undergone long testing periods, including emoji reactions, bigger file transfers, and larger groups.
WhatsApp has been working on message reactions – or "Tapbacks" in Apple Messages parlance – for some time, with evidence of their development first coming to light last summer.
The feature gives messaging app users a quick and easy way to respond to a message (a thumbs-up or thumbs-down in iMessage, for example) without having to type out a lengthier text-based reply in the chat thread.
Similar to Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp users will soon see a row of emoji just above a message. To begin with, only a handful of common reactions are available, but WhatsApp parent company Meta has said that support for "all emojis and skin-tones" will be added in the future.
WhatsApp is also rolling out a much larger 2GB cap for file transfers between users of the instant messaging platform. WhatsApp's file-sharing capabilities have become a key feature of the service, and the app has included the ability to share media files within conversations since 2017, but its 100MB file size limitation hasn't changed in that time.
Upping the limit to 2GB should make the platform a lot more amenable to sharing video clips and other large media file types, which would also be securely transferred via WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption.
Also from today, WhatsApp is expanding the default maximum size of group chats, upping the cap from 256 to 512 users. In its blog post announcing the new features, WhatsApp says the larger group limit is being rolled out "slowly," while message reactions and larger file size transfer limits are currently rolling out to users globally and should be available in the current version of the app.
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support.
Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design.
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iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads.
As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital."
In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh:
iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh
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Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6.
Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors.
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Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options...
Oh my god this is INCREDIBLE!!! This is the messanger of the future, feels like I am in 2040 already
Gosh, I wonder what comes next from this cutting-edge app that no other messenger can hold a candle to? Is it the iPad app? Is it using whatsapp on two phones at once? Is it transferring your messages between Android and iPhone? Is it groups up to 200,000 members? Is it sending all types of files through the app? Is it not selling all your data to Facebook for advertising?
Why would they even need to sell it when both Facebook and WhatsApp are owned by Meta? It always intrigues me how people who refuse to have anything to do with FB over privacy concerns are more than happy to use WhatsApp as their primary messaging platform.
As far as I know, at least in the EU they are not allowed to sell / use data between one another. It was one of the requirements to get the sale approved back in the day
There’s gotta be less than half a percent of their users that get anywhere near even 256 users.
I see WhatsApp used a lot by community groups - e.g. a local WhatsApp for a town / neighbourhood, or for students or colleagues. You end up with duplicate groups for spillover. 256 is a bit small.
I see WhatsApp used a lot by community groups - e.g. a local WhatsApp for a town / neighbourhood, or for students or colleagues. You end up with duplicate groups for spillover. 256 is a bit small.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
