After being spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android, the "Recently Online" feature is now seemingly in the works for the iOS app. Notably, the Recently Online feature is popping up for select beta users on iOS, which shows which one of your contacts has been online recently.
Evidence of this new feature was spotted in the WhatsApp beta for iOS app v24.9.10.71. According to WABetaInfo, the "recently online" feature shows a limited view of your contacts" recent activity. When you start an interaction with any of your contacts, be it starting a new chat or initiating a new call, you will now see which contacts have been actively using WhatsApp recently.
This doesn"t show the live feed of everyone currently online, however, it indicates if that person has been using WhatsApp in the recent time frame or not. It may be a good indicator of which one of your contacts would be more likely to be available to interact with you via messages or calls.
Some beta testers have already gained access to this "recently online" feature on the WhatsApp iOS app. The feature is designed to show you a general overview of activity rather than a comprehensive list of all currently online contacts.
The feature has been built with privacy in mind. So, for users who have disabled their last seen and online status, WhatsApp won"t show their recently online activity, ensuring that the privacy settings are respected at all times.
The new recently online feature is available to be tested out in the WhatsApp beta for iOS via the TestFlight app. It is expected to roll out to a wider audience in the near future. Recently, WhatsApp updated the race car emoji ahead of the upcoming Formula 1 Grand Prix, letting users rock the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 colors on the app as a part of WhatsApp and the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team.