14 DAY TRIAL // Windows phones might not receive much love these days, but there still are app developers out there who bring new features here first and only then to Android devices and iPhones.
Such an example is WhatsApp, which has never seemed interested in giving up on Windows phones. The latest beta version 2.17.342.0 brings a feature that’s not yet available in private builds for iOS and Android, allowing users of group chats to quickly reply to someone privately without opening a new conversation window.
While similar functionality is expected to arrive on Android and iOS as well, it looks like Windows phones might be the first to get it, though there’s still a long road from beta to stable.
Further refinements here and there
Additionally, it looks like the same update also includes an improved UI for voice and video calls, as well as smaller tweaks here and there that you might not notice at first, including a quick switch button to switch from a video call to a voice call and vice-versa.
The future of WhatsApp on Windows phones doesn’t seem to be in any way at risk, as the developing company still seems keen on shipping updates in the long term. On the other hand, it’s worth noting that support for Windows Phone 8 is coming to an end on December 31, so if you’re still part of Microsoft’s mobile party and want to continue using WhatsApp, your best option is to upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile.
As with any private beta released by WhatsApp for Windows phones, you can’t download this new version just yet unless you are a subscribed member part of the testing program.
As for when the stable version could be updated with these features, it typically takes several weeks for WhatsApp to upgrade new options from beta to stable, so hopefully Santa could bring something special to Windows phone users this year.
