WhatsApp currently keeps the Status updates separate from the core messaging aspect in a dedicated ‘Status’ section. But if a new report by WhatsApp tipster WABetaInfo is anything to go by, that could change soon.WhatsApp could offer an option to view status updates when you tap on a contact’s profile picture – much like Instagram Stories.
Tap on Profile Picture to View Status on WhatsApp
According to WABetaInfo’s report, there’s a hidden option to view status updates by tapping the profile picture in the latest beta. The feature was spotted in WhatsApp beta 2.21.17.5 for Android. When it becomes available, pressing the profile picture will show you two options — View profile photo and View status. Check out the interface below:
WhatsApp will show a green ring to indicate that the contact has uploaded a WhatsApp Status, as you can see in the image below. This is similar to Twitter Fleets, which the company finally shut down last week.
As of now, that’s everything we know about WhatsApp’s status update improvement. Since the feature is currently in development, we could expect the messaging giant to roll it out in a future update. For now, you won’t see it even if you are using the latest beta build of WhatsApp. Until then, you can always browse the Status section to keep up with all your contacts’ status updates.
The development comes just a couple of days after WhatsApp announced the ability to transfer chats across iOS and Android. The feature will initially go live with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 & Z Flip 3 and will expand to other phones over the coming months.
