The Facebook-owned instant messaging (IM) app WhatsApp is having its own variation of Snapchat's innovative "Stories" feature. The new WhatsApp beta update is called "Status," which is now enabled in India.
The WhatsApp "Status" marks another update for the messaging app, which started as a text platform for users. It lets users to play around with their statuses in the latest, improved, and more personalized ways. It supports the media-like pictures, GIFs, and videos with personalized emojis, drawings, and texts.
The WhatsApp "Status" also has a "seen by" counter similar to Snapchat's first popularized feature and another messaging app Hike messenger. The shared posts can be seen by everyone in the user's list and will expire within a 24-hour time frame automatically, same as its predecessors, but with end-to-end encryption.
The WhatsApp "Status" does not have the old "Available" or "In a meeting" statuses to express oneself. The people's replies are delivered in a chat with a message for the user's status update. The statuses are viewed by swiping left and closed by swiping down.
The WhatsApp "Status" replaces the contacts section and is navigated by just swiping left or right. It comes with a camera icon on the extreme left for capturing videos and images that are shared immediately.
The WhatsApp "Status" also resembles the Instagram video story feed or Instagram Stories feature that was ripped off into Snapchat "Stories" last year. It does not have the live features anymore unlike the Snapchat and Instagram.
To download the new WhatsApp "Status" on Android, open the Play Store app and type WhatsApp in the search bar. In the app listing, tap the "Update" button and install until the new feature is seen in between the Chats and Calls section. If ever the feature is not found, the app is closed from the multitasking menu and then reopened.
The WhatsApp "Status" feature is also now available in the Netherlands and France. It is expected to roll out globally in the coming months, especially on Windows and iOS. Watch the video about WhatsApp Status feature: