WhatsApp to Soon Get Video Calling, Tip Screenshots

WhatsApp is no doubt one of the most widely used instant messaging services worldwide, and crossed 900 million monthly active users back in September. One of the features however missing from the Facebook-owned messaging app has been video call support, which gives an edge to competing apps such as Hangouts and Skype.

Leaked screenshots now tip that WhatsApp may soon receive video calling support. A German website has posted screenshots from WhatsApp for iOS that show an ongoing video call.

Based on the leaked screenshots, the WhatsApp video call interface appears to be similar to the voice call one, with green-dominated tabs. The leaked screenshots show that users will also get the option to mute as well as switch cameras while on video call.

According to the website, WhatsApp for iOS version 2.12.16.2 is being tested internally, and is the build that developers and beta testers are already testing video calling feature on. So far, there has been no word on video call support officially arriving to WhatsApp but speculation has it the feature may be rolled out early next year.

Apart from video calling, WhatsApp is also rumoured to be testing a multi-tab UI which will allow users to jump from one conversation to another without going back to the main chat list. Details about multi-tab support on WhatsApp are limited as of now.

To recall, WhatsApp started rolling out voice calling support back in March with Android users. This was later rolled out to other platforms including iOS, BlackBerry, and Windows Phones. We can expect the company to start video calling rollout somewhere during the same period next year. Notably, Facebook's standalone Messenger app already supports video calls.

Read More

WhatsApp 2.12.87 Marches Forward With Material Design: New Calling Interface, Lighter Default Wallpaper, More

No sooner do we think we've spent a few good weeks without any major WhatsApp news than a series of updates to the app start hitting us left and right. Just after the last batch of Material Design changes went live for everyone on the Play Store yesterday, we got a new "beta" of the app on the service's website (also available on APK Mirror).

Version 2.12.87 fixes some of the last remnants of Holo in WhatsApp, materializing the calling interface, changing the default wallpaper to a nicer one, cleaning up the search bar UI, and removing those pesky Gingerbread icons that were forgotten under the More menu in a chat's overflow options. Let's go through them one by one.

The most visible change affects calls. Instead of the pronounced bright green and red, we see WhatsApp's new signature dark green (teal?) as a background and a more tame shade of red for hanging up. The focus is placed on the caller's name thanks to larger fonts and the removal of the vivid green "WhatsApp Call" bar. Smaller and more minimalistic icons complete the redesign. The change also affects the interface for call reception, with the same color and font enhancements. 

Left: Old. Middle & Right: New.

Next up is the new default wallpaper. The old one, with its dark beige tones, didn't sit quite well with the rest of the app's redesign, so this new iteration gets a calmer color as well as more dense and subtle outlined drawings. Don't worry, the Android is still there.

Left: Old wallpaper. Right: New wallpaper.

Those out-of-place icons from another era that were still lurking in the previous version of WhatsApp have now finally disappeared. The Material Police approves.

Left: Did we invent time travel? Right: Poof! Gone.

There are other subtle changes as well. When looking for a particular contact, you no longer see a white line under the text field and the search icon is gone, replaced by a semi-transparent "Search..." Start typing and the second underline doesn't make an appearance anymore. All in all, it looks more refined. 

Left & Right: New, cleaner search

When chatting away with someone, the "Last Seen" status used to line wrap if it was longer than the available space, pushing the contact's name higher. That no longer happens. The sentence's first characters get truncated, enough to leave the exact date and time visible and static on one line.

And finally, WhatsApp can now display iOS's new diverse emojis with different skin tones instead of the bright yellow ones. You can't send them from your phone, but if your friends use them, you will see the right ones that were sent to you.

Change approved, WhatsApp team. Now if you could bring back that Google Drive backup optionthat you unceremoniously removed, and make it simpler to use, we'd be set. Until I/O that is. Then we'll want you to implement allthethings that Google will announce. Satisfying an avid Android user is an impossible endeavor, by definition.

Read More

WhatsApp for Android gets a much-needed Material Design makeover

At long last, WhatsApp has received a Material Design overhaul on Android, and it now looks a whole lot better than the last version.

The update isn’t yet available on Google Play, so you’ll need to install the latest version off WhatsApp’s site to see the changes.

WhatsApp version 2.12.38 now features a deep green title bar that blends into the three tabs for calls, chats and contacts. You’ll notice new buttons in the chat window to record voice messages, as well as in the attachment option pop-up.

Group chat info and profiles now look a lot nicer, with a clean layout and a large cover image that shrinks to a titlebar with the dominant color from said image.

The media selection screen for sharing photos and video, as well as the Settings menu now look clean and bright.

I noticed that a few design changes and animations aren’t the same on my device as in this AndroidPolice post — so it’s likely that WhatsApp is still working on rolling out all of its visual updates.

Still, the improved layouts and neater iconography are a breath of fresh air. If you want to see what the Material Design update looks like right now, grab the latest version from WhatsApp’s site.

➤ WhatsApp [iOS | Android | Windows Phone | BlackBerry]

Read More

Facebook begins integrating WhatsApp with Android app

The first sign of Facebook beginning to integrate its 19 billion dollar acquisition, WhatsApp with its own services has arrived in the form of a new button on the social network’s Android app. After staying away from this step for around a year, both the companies have decided to make the inevitable happen finally.

The newest version of Facebook for Andoroid (v31.0.0.7.13 to be exact) has been found to be sporting a completely fresh ‘Send’ button. As has been spotted by Geektime and as you can see in the images it has released, the ‘Send’ button beside the ‘Like,’ ‘Comment’ and ‘Share’ keys bears the familiar ‘WhatsApp’ icon on it.

What this button does is still not completely clear, but we’re guessing it allows you to share a Facebook post with your WhatsApp contacts directly. However, that’s not the only way in which the two platforms are expected to be integrated.

Rumor has it that Facebooks’ Messenger which is extremely popular in the west and WhatsApp which is extremely popular in the east, will be able to work in a cross-platform manner of some sort. It’s being said that teams from both the companies are working together at the moment to make something like this possible.

Back in February last year, WhatsApp was acquired by the social networking giant for the astonishing sum of $19 billion. This gave Facebook a huge advantage in terms of market coverage since its Messenger application was struggling to make inroads in Asian nations.

The WhatsApp ‘Send’ button appears to be available in a very limited manner on the Facebook for Android app; so chances are you won’t even get to see it right now. But we’ll make sure to infirm you when it’s officially out.

Read More

WhatsApp voice calling feature now added: here’s how to get it

 Whatsapp has finally integrated voice call functionality into the world’s most popular instant messaging app. The WhatsApp call feature hasn’t arrived to everyone, so don’t be surprised if you don’t yet have the added functionality, but rest assured, it is coming, and soon.

The story was broken on Reddit, when a user by the name of Pradnesh Patil (pradnesh07) posted some screenshots showing a Calls tab in the app and later a video showing the functionality in action.

All you need to do to get the new feature is download the latest version of the app (v2.11.508) via WhatsApp’s website and sideload it (you’ll need to enable Unknown Sources in your Security settings first) and get yourself an invitation to use the new feature from someone that already has it.

On the left tyou can see the Calls tab and on the right, a WhatsApp call in action. © Pradnesh Patil

You’ll also need to be running Android 4.4 KitKat (although WhatsApp voice calling has also been reported by some users running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean). The most success seems to be coming from Lollipop-based phones though.

Several attempts have been made to understand the invite system, because not everyone seems to be able to activate the new feature, even with the new version, an invite and KitKat on their phone. Nevertheless, the feature has been confirmed by multiple users and doesn’t seem to be geo-specific or server based. Here’s that video I mentioned of it in action.

There is another way for rooted users to force the feature onto their phones, but it is a bit of a pain, as you’ll need to be connected to your PC and open a terminal every time you want to WhatsApp call someone (until it is enabled permanently for you).

Just open a terminal emulator and enter the following command:

su -c am start -n com.whatsapp/com.whatsapp.HomeActivity

Have you got the feature yet? Will you now turn to WhatsApp as your default dialer? 

Read More

WhatsApp is on the web, but only for Chrome (and not iOS)

WhatsApp Web Homepage

After doing a little cleaning up of unqualified services, WhatsApp is now coming to the desktop. A long-desired feature for fans, WhatsApp is now available on the browser — but not any browser. For now, Chrome is the only browser supported, and you’ll need the app to log-in. With a scan of the QR code, you can start chatting on the desktop, and leave your phone on the desk next to you. Unless you’re on iOS — the desktop doesn’t support that, either.

To get started chatting via WhatsApp on the desktop, head into your app on Android, Windows Phone, or BlackBerry. You’ll see a “WhatsApp Web” screen, which is where you scan the QR code on WhatsApp’s web portal.

The scan links the browser experience with your app. WhatsApp also says your phone needs to stay connected to the Internet for it to work, which means turning your phone off or slipping it into Airplane Mode could disable your browser session.

Unfortunately, this is still early days for WhatsApp on the desktop. Chrome seems to be the only browser supported, so those firmly entrenched in the Apple ecosystem will have to wait a bit. Internet Explorer fans will also be left out in the cold.

Apple users may not see a WhatsApp version, either. According to WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum, Apple’s “platform limitations” currently prevent the desktop version from being available to iOS users, and could even be why Safari is left hanging.

Read More