WhatsApp has accumulated a sizable active user base of a billion and it needs to periodically add new features so that it doesn’t become redundant. The messaging app world is very competitive and it has resulted in them copying features between one another in order to survive.
WhatsApp is not new in copying features from other messaging apps. They copied Snapchat’s Snap camera layout just recently and it seems they are not done copying them. According to WABetaInfo, there is a new tab on WhatsApp that allows you to publish status updates.
From the screenshot above, you can see that the new ‘status’ bar has been placed between the chats and calls bar. A report done by Tech2 reveals how the new status update refresh looks like:
Fro the above screenshot, when you tap on the “add status” icon which is between the search and options button on the middle screenshot, you will be ushered in a camera UI, which looks like the one WhatsApp launched recently. You will be able to take a photo by hitting the virtual shutter or holding it to take a video, add a Snapchat like caption marquee, add doodles on it in various colours and when you tap on the ‘send’ button on the bottom right, it will be sent as a status message. The whole system ha been shamelessly copied from Snapchat and WhatsApp is not even hiding the fact.
This is very reminiscent of what Snapchat does with Stories where you take a photo or video and post it for your friends to see. WhatsApp seems to be keen on copying this strategy for its users so that they can continue using the messaging app which is becoming a trend of late. This feature apparently is on the public betas of both the iOS and Android app (ver. 2.16.366 for Android) and I’m yet to see it on my beta Android app which is same version as the one highlighted.
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