A fresh WhatsApp update for Android is rolling out to a limited set of beta testers, adding one more option to react to status updates. This new update allows users to express their appreciation for the status updates with a heart emoji.
The feature is available in the WhatsApp Android beta update v2.24.17.2. Previously, users could only respond to someone"s status update by sending a message to them. However, it appears that a small group of beta testers, and soon more users, will be able to react to status updates by sending a heart emoji.
This new feature is similar to Instagram, where users can react to someone"s status updates with an emoji. This eliminates the need to type a response or comment, making it quicker to send reactions. With the latest Android beta update, when someone reacts to your status with an emoji, you will receive a notification indicating that someone has liked your status.
You will be able to see the list of likes along with who has viewed your status. Moreover, users will have full control over such types of notifications, and if you prefer not to receive such messages, you can disable them from Settings.
According to WABetaInfo, all likes are protected by WhatsApp"s end-to-end encryption, meaning only the person who has posted the status update will be able to view who reacted to their status. As mentioned earlier, the feature is currently being tested in beta. It is available only to a limited set of users who are enrolled in the Google Play Beta program for WhatsApp.
Recently, WhatsApp was spotted working on custom chat themes for Android, allowing users to personalize and customize the chat theme for all conversations. Additionally, the messaging platform is working on a sticker-related update that brings the GIPHY sticker library and built-in sticker creator to WhatsApp.