WhatsApp has added a lot of features and new additions in 2021, including some really useful ones like multi-device support and auto-disappearing messages. However, there are some changes that users have still been asking for and haven’t seen the app rollout. It is still behind rival communication app Telegram when it comes to the sheer volume of features. While we expect new changes to come to WhatsApp in 2022, here are 5 changes we would love to see in the popular app.
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Theme support for chats
WhatsApp lets you personalise your chatting experience to an extent. This includes custom wallpapers and a light and dark theme to go with your phone’s theme. However, the app lacks a proper theming option as we see on Telegram and Instagram DMs.
The addition of themes will allow users to further personalise their chats, making the experience more intuitive.
Support for more linked devices
WhatsApp’s multi-device feature currently allows you to connect your WhatsApp account to four more devices apart from your main smartphone. However, in today’s multi-screen era where a lot of people use multiple devices, and multiple browsers for different tasks inside those devices, four can be a limiting number.
Support for more devices may not be a priority addition for WhatsApp, but being able to add more devices will certainly benefit a lot of people who use multiple desktops/laptops and browsers for WhatsApp Web.
Auto delete account
A neat feature in Telegram allows users to basically set a self-destruct timer on their Telegram accounts, where if the user doesn’t use the app for an extended period of time, say 6 months, the account will be automatically deleted to maintain your privacy.
WhatsApp lets you manually delete your account from the settings, however, an automatic feature would be even more helpful in case of users losing their phones or SIM cards and are unable to access their account, which could have sensitive data.
Repeat notifications
When you receive multiple notifications from multiple apps when your phone is away, you may miss some of those clubbed notifications in the notification panel. This could include important messages that you may not realise have been received.
Repeating notifications would allow users to be alerted again in a set time for the same message that has already been received so you don’t miss important messages.
Remove WhatsApp Pay icon in the message typing box
WhatsApp Pay, a UPI-based payment platform that can be an easier alternative to Google Pay or Paytm may be a great feature for those who want to indulge in UPI payments, minus the hassles of navigating through complicated menus and features that a lot of UPI payment apps offers these days.
However, the Rupee symbol that appears in the ‘Type your message here’ bar is an unnecessary addition that attempts to coax you into using WhatsApp Pay. For those who don’t use the platform, the dedicated icon becomes a pointless addition that users cannot get rid of.
What’s worse is the icon takes the place of the ‘attach’ icon that has been sitting there for years, allowing users to attach media, location data, and documents. This leads to frequent accidental presses. A better implementation would allow users to configure if they want the dedicated WhatsApp Pay button out there or inside the attach menu, where it was originally found.