WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that recommends contacts you can call. This feature is the Recently Online list, which displays the names of contacts who have recently logged in to the program.
The report speculates that the purpose of the feature is to help users decide who answers a text or call. However, you won’t see people who are currently online, just brief information about people who have recently used your app.
According to WhatsApp update tracker WABetaInfo, the instant messaging platform is testing new features discovered in the WhatsApp iOS 24.8.10.70 beta through the TestFlight program.
The report also highlights that some beta testers may have access to this new feature, although the feature has not yet been widely rolled out in beta programs.
Interestingly, the same feature has also been introduced in the beta version of WhatsApp in Android Build 2.24.9.14, suggesting that both platforms may soon have this feature in their respective apps.
According to the screenshots shared with the publication, the Recently Online list only appears on the New Chat and New Call screens, where users select contacts to message or call.
Here, below the main menu options, you’ll find a new section that highlights recently online contacts. It is unclear what exactly “recently online” means and when the deadline for removing names from the list expires.
However, according to the report, the feature does not display a list of people who are currently online or when they were last online. We believe this is done to protect user privacy. Additionally, users who have their last seen settings set to not be visible to anyone will not appear in this list. I’m not sure if the “Recently Online” list is displayed.
The feature is currently in beta, but reports suggest it will likely be available to users worldwide in the coming weeks.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
