WhatsApp rolls out Telegram-style upgrades in surprise feature drop

The popular app from Meta continues to be updated with new features designed to improve the user experience, make personal conversations easier and more pleasant, and also give more tools to channel and group managers. So here's the full summary of everything that's new on WhatsApp.

Chats: Private, smart, and up-to-date

Who is currently connected in a group - One of the most notable innovations is the ability to see how many people are connected at the same time in your groups. Just below the group name, a live indication of the number of participants currently logged in will appear – similar to how it appears in groups on Telegram.

And if you're one of those who like to be in a hidden state – you can rest assured, as the active user count won't include you, and it doesn't show user names.

Smart notifications in groups – If you are a member of too many groups and feel overwhelmed by notifications – WhatsApp offers a smart solution. With the new "Get notifications for..." setting, you can choose to receive notifications only when someone tags you, responds to your message, or when you've saved contacts. Want to see all notifications? You can also select the "Get All" option.

Events – not just in groups – In the past, it was possible to create events within groups, but now WhatsApp allows you to create an event even in private conversations. In addition, options have been added such as a "maybe" response, an invitation of one plus, setting an end time for long events, and even pinning the event within the chat.

Adding comments with a click – Have you seen a message that received a special emoji and you want to respond in the same way, but you don't have the energy to search for it among the many emojis on your keyboard? From now on, you can simply tap on the emoji that another user has sent, and send the same comment yourself. A very nice shortcut.

Scan documents on iPhone – iPhone users can now scan documents directly from within WhatsApp – without external apps. Just select "Scan Document" in the "Attachments" panel, take a photo, crop, and send.

WhatsApp by default on iPhone – A new update on iOS now allows iPhone users to choose WhatsApp as the default for their messaging and conversations app

Calls: Higher quality and advanced features

Zoom in on video while on a call – A small but useful feature that WhatsApp has added to iPhone users includes the use of a "pinch" gesture during video calls. You can now enlarge a picture of yourself or the person you're talking to during the call, which is especially convenient in situations where you want to see something up close.

Add a participant to an existing conversation - A new feature that allows you to add another participant to a one-on-one conversation - directly from within the chat. All you have to do is click on the phone icon and select "Add to Call". This feature is especially convenient for switching between private and group calls, without having to end the current call.

Smoother video calls – A behind-the-scenes upgrade that WhatsApp claims to have done and aims to improve the video calling technology in the app. The upgrade includes a smarter routing system that reduces video disconnects and freezes, as well as quickly locating a high-quality connection to transition to HD video.