WhatsApp announces multiple new features: Communities, message reactions, file size upgrade - All you need to know

Meta-owned WhatsApp, India’s most popular messaging platform, has introduced a new feature called ‘Communities’ that will soon hit smartphones across the globe. WhatsApp is testing the new feature which will help users organise their groups. Furthermore, WhatsApp will also be providing 4 other updates to groups, included the much-awaited reaction to messages.

The new feature is aimed at aiding groups which function for workplaces, schools. The feature will help users “bring together separate groups under one umbrella”.

Furthermore, the feature will help WhatsApp admins to send alerts to thousands, with the groups, capped at 256 users, moving under a bigger structure of Communities. The feature is currently in the Beta phase and is not available as yet for all users.

WhatsApp currently has planning to offer the platform for free and does not have any plan to charge users for the new feature currently. However, the company does not rule out bringing “premium features” for businesses in the future.

The new feature will be end-to-end encrypted, it said. WhatsApp head Will Cathcart told Reuters that the feature will carry safeguards and use anti-abuse tools like restricting forwarding limit. Users will not be able to search on WhatsApp for different Communities.

We're excited to announce a new feature rolling out later this year called Communities!

With Communities, you'll be able to bring related groups together in a way that helps you organize meaningful connections easily and privately. pic.twitter.com/PyhXJmSr4T

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) April 14, 2022

4 new features coming to WhatsApp Groups

WhatsApp will soon introduce four new features. These include:

Emoji reactions to messages on chats

Ability for Group admins to delete problematic messages from all users’ chats

The size of file sharing will increase to 2GB

Larger one-tap voice calls for up to 32 people

The Communities feature will be rolled out by WhatsApp in the upcoming months, parent Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg mentioned in a post. Similar feature will also come to other Meta products Facebook, Messenger and Instagram.

READ | Gamers rejoice! PUBG New State, Among Us collaboration to bring new mini-games, costumes

(With inputs from Reuters.)