WhatsApp has reportedly started rolling out new privacy features. It helps users choose the privacy level of the links they share in chat. This feature has not yet been publicly announced, but has been spotted on some beta testing accounts. WhatsApp is also said to be developing new features for watching videos in the app. According to recent reports, the company is working on a locked chat feature for connected devices, which will be available in the next update. WhatsApp first introduced the chat blocking feature for smartphones in May 2023.
According to a report by Android Police, WhatsApp has started rolling out the link privacy feature to some beta testers. This feature allows users to disable link previews. This means that thumbnail previews or other article-related data will no longer be displayed next to the link. No obvious information about your link will be shared with anyone trying to spy on your chat.
The feature is also intended to help organize chats and make them easier to use. More importantly, this is also intended to prevent information leaks. WhatsApp beta testers can access this feature in the WhatsApp settings menu by tapping Privacy > Advanced settings and selecting the Disable preview link option. Gadget 360 can confirm that this feature is enabled in the latest beta version of WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, a report from WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo says that the company is working on a new video watching feature. This allows users to view videos shared between their contacts in the app in the picture-in-picture section of the app. This is similar to the picture-in-picture feature available on WhatsApp when watching shared YouTube and Instagram videos.
The report notes that picture-in-picture viewing of WhatsApp media videos is only available in the WhatsApp app and not in other apps. In other words, this feature allows you to watch a video sent by one of your contacts, leave the chat and continue playing the associated video in a small window while interacting in other chats or groups on WhatsApp. It has also been added that the The feature is currently in development and is not yet ready to be rolled out to beta testers. Therefore, it may not be available to the public in the near future.
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.
