The popular messaging app WhatsApp has been quiet lately for updates on Windows Phone. In fact, it has not been updated since the end of June, which is a very long time in technology. The good news is the private beta was receiving updates at a steady clip, including one yesterday.
The latest version of WhatsApp beta is 2.11.574.0 and with it are a few new features that have been added over the last few months. Here is your first look.
1. Archive
In place of email conversation history, you can now archive messages for safekeeping. Holding down on the user name reveals a pop-up menu with 'archive' as an option. To view archived messages, on the main menu with ellipsis, you can select 'archived chats'. You can also un-archive them. Emailing chat history can now be found under the person's contact info.
2. Send custom location
Sending your location to another user has been present in WhatsApp for some time but with the forthcoming update, you can move your position around on the map and send that instead. This option is good if you plan to move to another spot to meet with someone. It is also useful to deceive your spouse about where you are, but I digress. You can also still select Nearby Place for quick reference of popular locations.
3. Add captions to images, crop, and rotate
A more robust photo editor is featured, letting you crop, rotate, and add captions to photos before sending.
4. Smaller fonts for higher resolution screens
The fonts get tighter and smaller in WhatsApp, letting you see more on the display and making Lumia 1520 owners happier.
5. Backgrounds for individual users
Currently, you can add a background to all of your chats under the Chat Settings option. With the beta, you can add wallpaper to individual contacts, giving each chat a unique look and personality.
Finally, there are the usual unreported fixes, optimizations, and performance improvements to the app.
6. Windows Phone 8.1 only and release?
Unfortunately, there is no ETA for when this update for WhatsApp will go public. Some rumors, particularly one on Reddit claims it is "soon" but it is not clear how they would know this, as they are unverified source. It is clear though Windows Phone users are long overdue for a WhatsApp update, so hopefully it happens sooner than later.
Interestingly, the latest version of WhatsApp is Windows Phone 8.1 only, marking a significant departure for the messaging app.
Reader comments
Here is what is coming in the next WhatsApp update for Windows Phone
Pages
WhatsApp need a Password facility, i mean a facility to set the password to use Whatsapp. so that we can make sure that no one will see our chats since we have no perfect app locker in windowsPhone like android has...
Waiting
When is the update going live in the store....??
Text size has been a big problem for my Lumia 1520, takes up alot of the screen, ofcourse over time I have gotten use to it but its good that this feature is being brought in. Saving of images is another annoying thing, especially when involved in groups wer pics are being sent and being saved on my phone without knowing.
As for Instagram, it seems like its been in its BETA stage for a very long time, Instagram Direct needs to be added and as for Vine, there are many issues that needs fixing with that.
Turn off auto download so pics won't be saved to your phone without your knowledge. Download them as you wish
1. Just allow us to send AUDIO files though.
2. OPTIMIZATIONS (notifications, "RESUMING", )
3. SEARCH ISSUE;
3.1 Cant search for messages INSIDE a unique conversation - TERRIBLE;
3.2 The search that is available ONLY shows the results, but DOESN'T
mark them, so that I can jump EXACTLY on the results of my search;
4. Cant mark messages on conversations and then delete selected;
5. On the list of the conversations, THERE IS NO CONFIRM message BEFORE
deleting one selected (long press) - I can delete by mistake;
Regards,
/EV
Please tell me there is finally a setting to turn off "SAVE ALL MEDIA" like their is on IOS!?!!?!?
My Photos should just contain that........ My photos, I dont want every pic that anyone has sent me on Whats app saved here.............Very frustrating !
So the option to send, receive and save mp3 files won't be added??
The android and ios versions are already updated with these changes..
Videos should download even wen screen is locked in 2G /,3G network,it is getting paused when screen locks
When itll feature any kind of distinction for group members' messages? Like on android where each member of a group has its own color on its messages?
These are fine but like on Android, we should be able to share mp3/ music tracks via whatsapp... I do not, may be this has nothing to do with Whatsapp - may be WP doesn't let you share mp3 via whatsapp. Whatever, would love to get this feature...
Still need the option to send and received audio's
Deberían tomar en cuenta en las próximas actualizaciones de la app whatsapp, el envío de vídeo descargado de cualquier página web... no solamente el grabado en el smartphone... Gracias...
should be considered in future updates of the app whatsapp, sending video downloaded from any website ... not only recorded in the smartphone ... Thanks ..
Finally
The WhatsApp is still very good in its current form. Compare it to the Viber app which is horribly slow when opening and resuming the app. It's so bad it's made the app close to unusable.
Current version: 2.11.516.0
Last Updated: 26 June 2014
-----------------4 months later----------------
Current beta version: 2.11.574.0
Wow!! That's a huge bump in the version number. /s
Way to Whatsapp WP developer team.
Lol
Looking forward for the video chat
still no music share option ? :/
Does the update have performance improvements? It lags a lot on 512 RAM.
They should improve it For wp 8.1 devices. I Guess everyone is tired of "resuming" Message.
I WANT WHATSAPP TO INTEGRATE INTO CONTACTS HUB!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!
SUGGESTED UPDATE : to be able to configure 2 different phone numbers (dual-SIM phones) on same phone.
I bet. It won't come till july 2015.. Lolzz
Meh.
Damn that green 1520 looks gorgeous in that pic!
I hope the "speaker noise while chatting" problem will be resolved as well...
That's seems to be a pretty good update. Lets hope it gets released soon
I just want it as fast as other platforms. Features later.
Daniel+Mark+Sam = dream team.
I think the most useless feature of whats up and generaly all message apps is the location finder.Really what is the use of it i mean if we take the case the article says that you can show where you are so the other one can find you is useless i am going to write it to my friend not waiting my friend to think "oooo i will look to the gps finder to see where he is" WHICH is very low in chance.Second i must have mu gps ON all the time to find so that will drain my battery faster.Third gps in phones are not so accurate and i am talking from a pro side (topografphy pro) especially if you are in a city where you have a lot of buildings around you and a lot of interfiarence.
Thank you ♥
My Location Saudi Arabia
Cortana Not appear in what do I do
Lumia 1320 System Cyan
When lodging update For Lumia 1320
"Fonts get tighter and smaller in WhatsApp letting you see more on the display making Lumia 1520 owners happier...."
Why do you automatically assume all 1520 owners such as myself will be happier???!!!!
The main reason I bought this phone apart from the awesome specs is the 6" inch screen. Part of the reason was to see more content yes, but a bigger reason was so I can actually read the text on the screen as its larger! Coming from a Galaxy S3 (4.7" screen) previously, and also having played around with a mates iPhone 5s (even worse screen at 4") I can tell you after 5 minutes my eyes are so strained I no longer want to use the device. I'm not against the option of making the text smaller to fit more on the screen, but the more considerate solution would be to allow the users themselves decide how large the message text should appear by letting them take control in the settings menu. This would be helpful to those that don't have such great eyesight! Incidentally this is the same problem that plagues this comment thread-the text is too small and not resizable like the main article is.
When lodging update
Still no mp3 attachment feature available from storage??? Damn
Posted via the Windows Phone Central App for Android
Guys you know what WhatsApp takes minimum 6 months to add each feature in WP. It will take another 6 months to add mp3 feature and another 6 months to add multiple selection option and then another six months to add diff features....so guys in all it will take 3 years to add all the features that we want now in whatsapp for WP. I'm seriously to changing to android.
Why there is no article about comparison between hike & WhatsApp
Imo hike is much better
Please add music send feature in WhatsApp for windows phone
Use hike
So this is a WinRT app, or is it just a Silverlight app retargeted to WP8.1?
Now to wait for a billion years to get the update on the public version
Can I apply for private beta testing. If yes then how?
Private beta has been closed a long time ago...
Juust that we need profile pictures in the chats, and a different color for everyone in groups. More beautiful :)
The space between two messages bubbles should be reduce to help with font size
PPL all our suggestions and feedback is falling on deaf ears. Either you change yourself and get used to it or switched to android. Because WhatsApp will take another 6 months to bring next update for WP users. They don't care about WP users all they want is to add more n more features on Android and IOS.
Whatsapp is just like MS they think nothing of WP users!
What about ability to save media files
There are so many apps that need to be updated for larger displays. I hate that even the first party apps don't use large display cleverly.
two words.....text wrap
If anyone from WhatsApp is reading this, you just put [wrap] and [/wrap] in the tile configuration code. Glad to be of service
Still no option of sending or receiving audio files from library!!!
Come on whatsapp - please include it as well !!
For once i thought whatsapp stopped giving crap about wp 8
I hope that they've fixed the saving of pictures to WhatsApp's own folder and not to the other pictures folder.
Move to hike . A promising replace for WhatsApp.
yeah hike is good but problem is hike takes time to open sometimes on 512 mb devices or i may say old range lumias. rest all the features are awesome
Yeah but it will solve in next update, u know devs updates hike regularly:)
Yes, but consider half a second delay is not gonna considered me to go for devs who only consider iOs or android only. Team behind hike is awesome on consumer feedback as well as regular updates and new features.
Does it remove the hissing noise from the earpiece when the app is open and in use?
black interface looks the best. however i want watsapp to add features like
cortana support
ability to delete multiple chats
sending Microsoft Office files and OneDrive files
How about sending mp3 files to contacts ? All nice updates though.
I feel WhatsApp has already indroduced some of above features to android long ago. Due to this ignorrant attitude towards WP users, I also ignore WhatsApp. Guys, pls try HIKE once, I feel its better and fast in terms of features, working and updation.
+520
I want to know why updates come so late on WP where as in iPhone/android such features have come over six months ago...im sure we have kick ass app developers still why cant we compete other platforms? One more thing I guess fb app wud take around a year to become wat fb app on android is at the moment!
its bcoz those operating system had more users. its all about ecosystem. once windows 10 arrives we will definitely get a big ecosystem and regular updates
@Daniel : Please ask developers to have an option Share Target enabled. (So other developers can Share images/Videos/Text to Whatsapp directly from their app)
Finally! Smaller fonts for my 1520. Soooo happy about that!
Daniel. If you see all the ppl are correct as they does not update whatsapp for windows phone as they do for android and IOS. As you said its been almost 5 months we received an update whereas android users gets updated often. One feature we mostly miss is multiple selection of messages\videos for delete and forward. I wish they add this feature in upcoming update
Ok. What the hell is Danny Boy to do about it?
Good grief. They still don't have voice control? Useless.
Run time ?
"the latest version of WhatsApp is Windows Phone 8.1 only"
Probably the best "feature" I was waiting for... Finally
Features stills missing:
- Mute groups for a period greater than 1 week
- Different colors for each member in group
Got my white Lumia 830 yesterday ;) excellent news for me ..but I'm afraid that.. There will be support for Lumia denim?? Because I got message from WhatsApp that "This version of WhatsApp does not support your phone software yet" figures crossed
Every WP 8.1 user gets that notification
Why no one talks about integrating WhatsApp in the share center? I can't wait to have the option to share to WhatsApp.
Still no song sharing options ... :/
Send mp3 please ?
What is eta
Eat The Apple ... :D
Estimated time of arrival
When they will give the feature of sending audio files...
Need multiple select options
In Android version of WhatsApp we have the ability to view our old status updates and also we can view when did someone last update his/her status on WhatsApp. These features though not that great but still would be appreciated.
All I want is the ability to mute groups for a period greater than 1 week.
Yes I saw that article on Reddit, made me wonder about legitimacy. I just hope its not very far from release WhatsApp need an update badly... Love the new features coming, its gonna be great...
Why is there a need for messenger apps?
Because some people have basic need of communication...
Every company offers unlimited texting. The only reason for that then would be if you have a windows phone that had no service then fine.
Not every company... For e.g. Here in India we have a limit of 100 cellular messages per day which is very less and why invest in sms plan if you can have sms and data both in data plan :)
Sorry ass Indians. No wonder your always asking for shit at this site. Hilarious.
So you are saying that we should not ask for update? And it is wrong to use a messenger instead of SMS... I doubt many will support that opinion of yours and you can keep your shit to yourself nobody asked for it...
Not outside US. In India, they charge a bomb during festivals, has daily limit, etc
Y u can't update with all features of Android phones?
Need an option to send mp3 from music player
"The fonts get tighter and smaller in WhatsApp, letting you see more on the display and making Lumia 1520 owners happier"
WHOO HOOOOO!!! FINALLY!!!
Hope this update saves photos in proper WhatsApp folder instead of "others" folder.
That is very important.
Need an update to be able to send pre-recorded audio and mp3 files!
What about Sharing music files??
Which Lumia is that in the picture? It looks like a green Lumia 920?!?
EDIT: Ah, nevermind. I see that it is probably the Lumia 735. It looks similar!
When will they merge WhatsApp to Messenger :v
When will we get music sending support???
Add audio sharing man!! N file sharing also, now on windows 8.1 developers have the access to the file screen!!
Can't wait for this update!
This is great, I've long dumped GroupMe and KiK for WhatsApp. Glad they are still updating it. All of my friends on other platforms use WhatsApp.
Oh well, good news finally! But I definitely hope to see video compression for my 1020 and maybe more options for audio and files sharing. BUT, if Skype (by MS devs) hasn't got these options already, it could be a system fail maybe. I really looking forward Skype to open for files sharing for mobile also.
I think build 600 will be the version for stable release update.
I see what WhatsApp is trying to do here. They were waiting for BBM to get released, then after a few months of absence make some sort of comeback
I do not think WhatsApp cares about bbm anymore, I was one of the most hyped WP fans to get and use BBM but it was a very depressing experience... Nobody uses BBM anymore
How,about something as simple as a profile pic of the person ur chatting with in the chat window?? What's so hard about that?
I will prefer to have different color bubbles for different recipients in group chats. It is very confusing currently with all bubbles having the same accent theme color.
Another feature listed on my two-star review. You always have to read the name and ask the contests have the same color. This is one place where I don't care about my theme color applied.
Backgrounds for individual users is a cool feature
Yeah it is, very needed feature
Lol, hike messenger already have it
my mom litrally abandoned her 925 because she couldnt send videos via whatsapp
video compression must be a priority !
But you can... Wth ?
Dude, your talking about your mom on here? Wtf, cut that umbilical man. Chew it off if you have to.
Blah blah blah.... just release it already!!! I see incremental updates so often on android and this windows phone version taking months! And still no ETA??! C'mon.
maybe they want to create the WOW effect.
Unfortunately I don't see any wow feature, just catching up with Android. They are just not supporting Windows phone like they support Android if you ask me.
Still hope you are right and this version has some wow factor in it :)
Only one employee working on this. An unpaid intern at that....with disabilities....several....all at once...acute-like
Question to anyone who is beta testing it:
Since it is Windows Phone 8.1 only, does it stay tombstoned in background when pressing back key till the end, like Facebook/Mehdoh and other apps which take advantage of this feature, or does it completely back out?
I would love to see it behave in tombstoned mode, not exiting completely, as it would be faster then. Anyone else feels this would be better?
:((( i wish they would add those big vibrating hearts finally! And that chat search option
The text size thingy is welcomed on my 1520.
On my 920, 928 too! More content is always welcome
Love the new features watsapp came up with..
Still DONT have the option to PERMANAT mute of groups alarm ?
( This option is avilable at other OS like Android )
Sotty about my English level...
when you started to get notifications again, you can mute it again for 1 year.
My WhatsApp already crashing...need this update badly...
Hopefully this at least brings it close if not up to par with ios and android. glad to see they're taking wp seriously though.
Im actually inclined to use Whatsapp now! Its not so dull anymore, im so glad Microsoft helped them with there app!
voip comes to IOS and Android. Why not here?
because we are niche to them, so there is no point of complaining here.
Still gotta pay a yearly fee for this thing? If so I'm not interested.
.... 1$ ...
Well eff WhatsApp I ain't using it. I'll stay with kik.
actually it always says your subscription is prolonged.
Oh really? Huh okay o.o, well if it does ask for money ill just delete it.
Update to share mp3 files from my library
Love the spouse thing , handy update indeed , these kinds for news I like the most
Better than finding out your wives have been sexting me :O
Looks great. Only if we had an audio file share option, it would have been absolutely fantastic
WA still the smooth application
Can't wait for the next update
That's all welcome but I need the ability to attach the bloody videos of size more than 16MB! I MEAN SERIOUSLY!!!!
I feel you
Complains... Complains everywhere... I love WPC, but too many drama in comments..
But those are valid complains.
Not all complains are valid. But even there are a lot of complains even on "good News".
Current Whatsapp version don't support sending images from a custom folder, you know, the one you create with specific pictures in it (kids, pet, events, personal wallpapers, etc.). If i have to send on of this pictures i have to send it via Share>Whatsapp on the gallery.
I'm hoping it's only for 8.1 to use the new social media API. Then maybe WhatsApp messages will show up in history, etc., in the People hub. Heck, I'd love to see text-to-speech Bluetooth connectivity as with Messaging.
Woah!
That would be so cool, imagine being able to see their current status and profile pictures along with our last few texts with them!
I hope that such a feature does come one day.
Since support has ended for 7.8 I guess its over for us right? Need to start saving for a new phone :(
Uhm I really wonder why people complain about this just get a second hand Lumia 520 for 50 bucks and you're set. Not much saving involved.
This.
Its kinda pointless getting a 512mb ram device. I will rather save some money buy a nexus and use android for a few years and jump back to window phone when it has better services.
Seriously, the 520 has been $19 new.
530 is in the $50 range as well..
Would be expensive even if they offered the phone for free, same day delivery
$20 in the startes and a bit expensive out here in India. Since im still in college I can't upgrade phones every year. So save and get something worthwhile. But your also right sir.
That there is funny
Maybe funny to you. But makes sense to me. Haha :)
Looks good! I use it extensively, so I would definitely welcome the new features. Intrigued about it being 8.1 only. Can't wait to test it out.
"Windows Phone 8.1 only" thats exactly what we need from skype
Need access on SP3 via Bluetooth connection...
Third party app idea perhaps?
Wow an article on WhatsApp. Been waiting for an update for a long time. Wish they would open up their beta program to more users. Universal app would be awesome
Wondering when they'll make it as an universal app.
In theory, they could. But since WhatsApp needs a phone number to work, not sure what the benefit would be for tablet/pc. Unless, of course, they shift away from the phone requirement.
just look at the viber for pc or viber for windows 8. It requires authentication code and it comes to your phone via viber.
when my friend calls me via viber my phone and pc rings at the same time. whenever I answered it the other stops. also same thing goes for messaging. that's what was skype trying to do lastly.
Skype is sorta failed when it comes to send short video message to other one and that is why they introduced Skype Qik("Quick").
WhatsApp isn't supported on tablets on any platform. So universal thing is not likely to be happen anytime soon.
Android tablets has WhatsApp support but only for cellular model.
WhatsApp icon matches with Lumia Green... Damn good looking
I want audio file sharing. I know dan doesn't really care about mp3 share, but if it's a mass demand, shouldn't they deliver ?
Where is video crop function?????
Cool. Keep em coming
Okey dokey, sounds great! Now we just have to wait until 2050 to get the update...
No. You need to wait until Verizon releases cyan.
Same stuff
If it is WP8.1 only, it should be optimized and faster! So no resume and stuff...i read somewhere that devs hold back wp8.1-only-apps till the newest wp8.1 gets more marketshare. but its more than 50% now..!
Quicker scrolling up to remind girls of things they said before wouldn't go amiss :P
Think you mean faster
No it scrolls fast, but it's the quickness that needs work :D
Notification fix? Toggle for automatically saving photos to the photo library? C'mon, these have been issues for months.
Uhm there is already an option for automatically saving photo's/video's...
Wrong. There's a toggle for automatically downloading; saving to the photo gallery happens whether or not that's turned on.
WhatsApp needs to save the photo in device's memory after download. Hence it will be shown in photos app.
There's a toggle in the iPhone app that allows it to not be autosaved. No other apps require the photo to be saved to the photo library, there's no good excuse.
Auto save option is there in there in the settings. But when u save it, it will be saved to library. This change was made to make the downloaded videos available to access outside of whatsapp
You can't view the picture without saving it to the picture gallery, that needs to be fixed.
When is it going to get a notification tone for when a conversation is open on screen like iOS and Android? Even the messaging app does it
^ This!
+730
Yesss! 8.1 only, I guess it is writed in winRT -> next step Universal app :D
Not likely. WhatApp is not supported on tablets on any platform.
When in India?..... Lol
I'm interested in backup and improvement in notification center.
Pages