Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

WhatsApp is testing a feature that will let you share files of any type

Christian de Looper
By

whatsapp
Image used with permission by copyright holder
WhatsApp has been an easy and quick way to send photos and videos to friends and family for quite some time now, but it looks like the chat service is looking to expand on that feature by allowing users to send any kind of file they want.

A new feature is being tested in beta with a small portion of users, according to a report from WABetaInfo, and it should roll out to all 1.2 billion WhatsApp users at some point in the near future. The report notes that you’ll be able to share any files with a contact or group of contacts, as long as that file falls under 128MB on Android, 100MB on iOS, and 64MB on the WhatsApp web app.

Recommended Videos

The feature certainly is a nice addition for WhatsApp users — and will help make the app even more popular than it already is. Of course, there are some concerns with the change. For example, allowing users to send any kind of file could help promote the spread of malicious files that could infect phones and ultimately damage the phones or the file quality on those devices. Not only that, but it will be helpful for people who want to pirate and share apps, as the feature does allow for the sharing of APK files.

Related

Still, despite the concerns the pros far outweigh the cons, and it helps position WhatsApp to start becoming more a platform than just a messaging service, like Facebook Messenger has done.

WhatsApp has been getting increasingly useful over the past few months, and that’s only set to continue. Recently it was reported that the service would soon start allowing businesses to chat directly with customers, which is also something that Facebook Messenger has started doing in the past year or so.

It makes sense that WhatsApp would want to evolve into a platform — the Facebook-owned service is already in the hand of over a billion people, and Facebook Messenger’s evolution into a platform has been relatively successful. It will be interesting to see if WhatsApp can ultimately offer anything that Facebook can’t — or if they simply transition into platforms alongside each other.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper
Contributor
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
You’ll soon be able to use WhatsApp on more than one phone
Two phones on a table next to each other. One is showing the WhatsApp logo, and the other is running the WhatsApp application.

WhatsApp, one of the most used messaging services in Europe and parts of Asia, is about to close a major flaw. As spotted by the sleuths over on WABetainfo, the company is planning an update that will allow the use of a secondary device -- including another phone or tablet. Currently, WhatsApp only allows phone users to link their account via its web or desktop clients.

The new feature is dubbed companion mode. Once it rolls out, you'll have a workflow that's quite similar to setting up WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp on the desktop. Rather than entering a number, you'll be able to scan a QR code with your main phone to log in to your existing WhatsApp account.

Read more
WhatsApp is copying two of Zoom’s best video-calling features
Call Links by WhatsApp

WhatsApp is taking a couple of pages out of Zoom's playbook. The Meta-owned company is rolling out the Call Links feature, making it easier for people to join audio and video calls with just one tap on the phone screen.

Mark Zuckerberg announced the new feature in a Facebook post on Monday morning. Starting this week, WhatsApp users will be able to tap the Call Links option within the Calls tab and create a link for audio or video calls to send to their friends and family, who will then tap on the link and join the call from there.

Read more
WhatsApp adds new privacy features that everyone should start using
The WhatsApp app icon on a phone with other messaging apps.

You'll soon be able to lurk and leave groups quietly on WhatsApp. Three new features have been announced for Meta's messaging app, and they all seem to be about helping users protect their privacy.

On Tuesday, WhatsApp announced three new privacy features: leaving groups silently, deciding who gets to see if you're online, and screenshot blocking.

Read more