WhatsApp is working on a new feature that would allow users to authenticate WhatsApp Web sessions with their fingerprint. The new feature was spotted by WABetaInfo (via TechRadar) in the latest version of WhatsApp Beta for Android.
In case you don"t know, WhatsApp Web currently requires users to scan a QR code using WhatsApp app on their smartphone in order to log in to the web app. This requires users to break their workflow in order to scan the QR code to approve the login.
It is, however, set to change as the new feature will allow users to authenticate using their fingerprint, making the process a little less cumbersome. Unfortunately, users will still need to pick up their smartphones in order to authenticate the web session. However, this would fit in nicely with WhatsApp"s plan to sync chat history across platforms allowing users to use the web app without having a constant internet connection on their smartphone. It is not clear if WhatsApp plans to take advantage of Windows Hello on Windows 10 devices to authenticate the web app in the future.
There is no word on when the new feature is expected to roll out but it will surely help users login faster. Furthermore, it will also help improve privacy as it reduces the risk of someone else just picking up your phone, scanning a QR code, and creating a WhatsApp Web session.