WhatsApp has rolled out a big update for the messenger app for Android phones. It brings a host of new features, including starred messages, link preview and the option to chat in Urdu and Bengali.
- Starred messages
This allows users to bookmark messages in an ongoing chat by doing a long press over it. A star icon will appear on the chat, which means the chat has been saved in a separate category called starred messages, making it easier to find these messages later. The feature was already available on the iOS app and has now been rolled out for Android devices.
- Rich preview
This feature shows more than just a link shared by or received by the user. It shows an image pulled from the link along with the headline followed by one or two lines from the story—just like the way Facebook does. The image preview is a bit erratic and shows only when the Wi-Fi or 3G speed is good.
- Android Direct share support
WhatsApp is now compatible with the Android Direct Share feature, which means a user can select a specific chat or a group right from the page they want to share. The most recent chats would automatically show up on this page than just the WhatsApp icon. Earlier the user had to enter the app to select the chat or group. This feature is available only on phones running Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), which is available on Google’s Nexus range of devices, including Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, and the Moto X Style.
