Along with a number of various new features rolled out in 2022, WhatsApp introduced one that is particularly interesting; the Message Yourself feature.
This feature allows you to have a 1:1 chat with yourself which can be used to save information in a convenient manner. Users can send themselves shopping lists, reminders, documents and pictures make them easily accessible.
The feature puts your own profile at the top of the contacts list and allows you to pin the chat to the top as well, making it much more user friendly than many other apps that use a similar feature, For example Signal with the “Note to Self” feature and Slack with “Jot Something Down”. What’s different about WhatsApp’s version of the feature is the ease of use. For instance, while Signal has the same feature, it does not place your name at the top of the list of contacts, you have to search and select the option “Note to Self”.
Other features introduced by WhatsApp include;
- Communities – A different take on Groups, allowing more structure and organization. Users will be able to add groups to a community as well, allowing people to send updated to a large number of people with ease.
- In-chat Polls – Allows users to run a poll on groups and individual chats with up to 12 options with the question.
- Bigger group chats – Group chats can now hold up to 1024 members. This is double the previous number which was 512.
- Improved Video calls – Video calls can now hold 32 participants.
- Call links – Much like group chat links, call links can be created to allow anyone with the link to join the call; both audio and video.
Most of these features have been beta tested and started rolling out from 29 November and will reach users globally in a few weeks.
