WhatsApp finally rolls out hide online status feature for beta testers

Some of us might have waited long for the hide online status feature on WhatsApp, and it's finally coming soon. WhatsApp has now rolled out the setting for the app's beta testers, so it could get followed by a wide rollout if nothing goes wrong.

The new setting can be found on the same page where you configure who to see your last seen status. It has gotten renamed as Last seen and online. To change the online status setting, navigate to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy > Last seen and online. On the page, you'll find the same four options for the last seen status: Everyone, My contacts, My contacts except…, and Nobody. You can select 'Everyone' or 'Same as last seen' to follow the setting for last seen for online status.

Is the feature an important one for you? Share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech updates.


WhatsApp for iPad native app now in development for Multi-device 2.0

If you have been keeping up with WhatsApp updates, you would that the platform is already working on a data transfer and multi-device feature between Android and iOS. For the latter, it was announced by WABetaInfo on Twitter that the WhatsApp development team is already working on multi-device 2.0 that can link an iPad and Android tablets as newly linked devices.

What's even more interesting, though, is that WhatsApp for iPad won't be a web app but a native app instead. In their own words, WhatsApp for iPad will work independently so that's something to look forward to. We think Android tablets could have something similar as well.

• Is WhatsApp for iPad a web app? No, it's a native app!• Will WhatsApp for iPad work independently? Yes.• Is WhatsApp for iPad already available? No.• WhatsApp beta for iPad? If you have WhatsApp beta for iOS, you will automatically have the iPad version in the future. https://t.co/aQYBBtW7Sb

Moreover, if you want to participate in the WhatsApp for iPad beta, you can do so if you already have the WhatsApp beta for iOS. There are no words about beta testings for Android tablets, though. The WhatsApp team has been working on this feature for months so we will just have to wait and see.

In this day and age, many people tend to have more than one device which consists of a mix of iOS and Android platforms. This is a great time now, even more so than when the world is working from home. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp group voice calls can now be upgraded up to 32 participants

Today, there is a new WhatsApp update available on both iOS and Android devices. The new update happens to be group voice calls upgraded up to 32 participants, which is also one of the features for WhatsApp Communities coming to fruition.

The new group voice calls work similarly to iOS Messenger FaceTime, whereby participants can choose to join the group voice calls or not. If they want to join the conversation halfway, they can, all they need to do is tap on the "Join" button that is held on the top right of the group chat.

Besides the new group voice calls upgrade, the social audio layout has an updated interface that includes the speaker highlight and waveforms. The voice message bubbles and info screens for your contacts and groups' design are also updated, alongside some user interface improvements for your favourited media in the WhatsApp gallery.

As we reported before, the group voice calls function is part of the upcoming WhatsApp Communities that the development team is working on. There are still three more features coming - emoji reactions to certain messages, a 2GB file sharing and admin delete on certain spam messages. It will take some time so we just have to wait for the new updates.

You may update WhatsApp now at the Google Play Store and Apple App Store right now. If not, then just wait for it. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp has finally launch a fingerprint authentication on Android!

After 9 months since WhatsApp has updated the Touch ID and Face ID feature on iPhone, the fingerprint ID feature is now available on all Android users to unlock the APP! With this extra authentication, you will no longer need to install a third-party privacy APP to lock it up and keep your secrets safe!So here’s how to set up the fingerprint authentication:

First, click into your WhatsApp Settings which is located on the top right corner. Next, inside the Settings Menu choose privacy. Then, you will notice a “fingerprint lock” option. Click into it and turn on “Unlock with Fingerprint”. After that, you will be prompted to register your fingerprint with the fingerprint sensor on your device. Also, inside the Fingerprint Lock Menu, you will be able to choose the duration for screen lock and the option to show content in notification.

After clicking into the Privacy Menu, click into the Fingerprint Lock Option.

Although the fingerprint unlock authentication is enabled, for your convenience, you can still answer calls if it is locked. So will you be using the fingerprint unlock authentication to keep your secrets out from your partner? Let us know at our Facebook page and stay tuned for more updates on TechNave.com!


WhatsApp has started beta testing for ad creation on WhatsApp Business

For most WhatsApp users, the Multi-device feature was the one that's worth noting in 2021. But business users are all hoping for a way to monetise the platform, and the company has been working on that for months. Now, we have some hints on ad creation for the platform.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp developers are working on a way to allow WhatsApp Business users to push ads to Facebook. These ads can be linked to individual WhatsApp accounts, providing customers with an additional means to contact the company. This feature will be accessible via the WhatsApp Business settings that were released recently.

Currently, this feature is limited to a small group of beta testers on Android and iOS. You can pick a file from your device or your company's WhatsApp catalogue (if available) to create the ad. This ad can then be pushed to Facebook and would reach a certain amount of users, depending on the budget you've set. As you can tell, the concept is similar to boosting a post on Facebook.

In my opinion, this is just an alternative to a Facebook company account with an active admin that replies to messages. While WhatsApp is widely used in Malaysia, is this feature needed? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


WhatsApp has started to test new Storage Usage tools

If you find that you're running out of storage often, it would be great to know what you can delete to make space. That's why WhatsApp has been working on this area, as media files can pile up in your phone through the app relatively fast. A reliable source has revealed some news about the new tools for Storage Usage.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is already testing the new features, which can be found under the Storage Usage section of the app. Currently, what it does is show you the different chats you have and how much storage they're using. From there, you can choose which a chat group and click "Free Up Space" to delete all media files in that group.

But that's not ideal, so most of the time you'll want to manage your files manually via a file explorer app. With the new tools WhatsApp has been working on, you'll be able to use a filter to find all files that are large or were forwarded. You'll also be able to see how much space is being taken up by media files in WhatsApp, sort the files by type, and possibly more.

Having more control over what you can delete directly from WhatsApp is great, so this is a feature that many will likely be looking forward to. But with that said, what other features are you hoping to see from WhatsApp? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Apple iPad mini 6 could launch as early as September 2021

Those looking for a new iPad mini might have to wait just a bit longer. First rumoured back in November last year, Apple was slated to launch the iPad mini 6 in 2H 2021. Now, sources claim that the launch window is around Fall 2021.

According to Mark Gurman (via Gizmochina), Apple is working on the launch of its redesigned iPad mini 6. It is expected to launch in the US Fall season, which is between late September to December 2021. For your information, Apple launched its latest iPad Air and 8th-Gen iPad on 16 September 2020. We're expecting the iPad mini 6 to launch within 1-2 weeks of that date.

So, what's new with the iPad mini 6? As mentioned, the new model is expected to have a redesign, one that would make it look similar to last year's iPad Air. It's also allegedly going to come with Touch ID. Moreover, there could be a new A15 Bionic chipset, though we don't have any news on that so far.

When it comes to tablets, the iPad mini is probably the size I would prefer over the standard iPad or iPad Pro. But how about you? What's the ideal tablet screen size for you? Share your preference in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for potential updates on this.


WhatsApp increased video & audio call participants, as well as releasing beta for Android tablets & Mac

While the WhatsApp app has been getting a slew of updates over the months, there's something new for the WhatsApp Desktop version as well. According to Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook post, the team just launched a new update with encrypted video calls.

Besides the E2E encrypted video calls, participants can also make a video call with up to eight people. If you just want audio calls, making it happen with up to 32 people in total is possible. To refresh your memory, video and audio calls were only introduced two years ago.

On top of the new update, the WhatsApp team is said to be releasing a new Windows desktop app that loads faster. The team also just introduced a new WhatsApp beta experience for Android tablets, as well as launched a new, faster app for Mac desktops that is currently in the early stages of beta.

The WhatsApp team will increase the limits over time in the future. Until then, enjoy your WhatsApp Desktop video and audio calls, and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is adding a new feature to let you choose who can see your "Last Seen" status

In the world of social messaging, having been "Seen" without a reply is probably not a good sign. WhatsApp may change that, though, as the development team just submitted a new update in the Google Play Beta program to solve that.

According to WABetaInfo.com, the WhatsApp team is looking into giving users more control in terms of privacy. How this can be achieved is by introducing a "My Contacts Except..." option for Last Seen (2.21.20.10), Profile Photo (2.21.21.2) and About (2.21.21.8). A feature that has been going on for months, it allows the user to choose who can and can't see your information on the platform.

For example, you can see the screenshot above on who can see your "Last Seen" status. If you disable your "Last Seen" status for a certain contact, you won't be able to see their status too. The new beta update also doesn't apply to Profile Photo and About. It's pretty straightforward.

Since it's in beta testing, only a handful of Android WhatsApp users will be selected for this. If you're lucky, you can check out your Privacy Settings to see if you're selected. It will take some time before the update rolls out so do stay tuned for that at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is adding that "always" option to let you mute chats forever

We have seen the news about a future WhatsApp update that could allow multiple devices to access one account. Although it is unsure whether it will allow us to use the account on other devices without our phones being online, it is still a good update for those who are constantly switching between devices. Now, it appears that the messaging app will bring another update that some of us have been longing for which is to mute a group chat forever.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is working on an update that allows users to mute chats forever. From the screenshot, we can see that the "one year" option will be replaced with an "always". For those who feel like one year is not enough to deal with an "annoying group chat", this update is dedicated to you.

At the moment, it is impossible for a WhatsApp user to mute group chats or a private chat forever. The options that are currently available for users to mute chats are eight hours, one week, or one year being the longest. However, we think one year is definitely enough to ghost someone else unless he or she is a persistent one! (jk!)

Let us know what you think about the WhatsApp feature on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more latest app updates.


WhatsApp is bringing update that leads us closer to multiple device logins

WhatsApp is no doubt the most widely used chat messaging app in our country. For years, the app has evolved a lot by pushing great updates to bring a better experience to the users. However, there are also some features that we've been longing for but never appeared such as multi-device logins. Now, it looks like WhatsApp is slowly going to make your wish come true by allowing us to do that soon!

A WhatsApp tipster (yep, tipster is not only for tech devices) has discovered a feature called 'Linked Devices' in the pre-release build of the messaging app. There are also some screenshots that are provided to demonstrate the feature. With it, you can add and remove devices that can access your WhatsApp account all in one place. You might've also noticed that 'WhatsApp Web' has been removed as it's replaced by the new feature.

Other than that, the tipster also mentioned that WhatsApp could require a verification code that is sent to your phone every time you log in on another device. For those who are wondering if the feature allows us to use the web or desktop version without the need for our phones to be online, it is still unclear at the moment.

Let us know what you think about this feature on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more exciting app updates.


WhatsApp is currently down as users can't seem to send media files

Is your WhatsApp working fine? If it’s not, you might be one of the victims of the system down that just happened hours ago. WhatsApp down can be quite a big deal nowadays. When you’re trying to send something urgent to someone else, it’s just really frustrating to keep seeing that failure to send or failure to receive warnings.

Currently, users who are having the WhatsApp down issue are not able to send out image files, videos, voice recordings, and even PDF files. If you’re one of the users, be calm because this is not only happening to you, as the other users from the other corners of the world are also facing the same problem.

The issue was detected at around 6:40 pm by DownDetector. Let us know if you’ve kena on our Facebook page! Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech updates.


WhatsApp is developing a new Community feature to form new sub-groups within a group chat room

What is Community and how is that different from WhatsApp groups? According to WABetaInfo.com, the team just recently tested out this beta test and it's still under development. However, there is a preview so here's what they learnt.

From the preview, the WABetaInfo team discovered that this Community feature allows group admins to have even more control in WhatsApp groups such as grouping other people in other groups inside an existing group. Sounds familiar? Because it's exactly like how Zoom and Microsoft Teams work with smaller sub-groups. It can be a private or public room chat.

Moreover, people seem to be able to create a Community chat which is a private room protected by end-to-end encryption. There's also a Community icon to distinguish itself from the normal group chat and admins can send messages and arrange the groups at the same time. It's also said that there are some tools to help admins to manage efficiently and send an invite to users via Community Invite Link.

Since it's still under development, we may or may not see it in the future. It's currently in beta testing on both Android and iOS but no release date was given. But what do you think of this feature? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is developing a second version of multi-device function for Android

Multi-device support for WhatsApp with different devices exists already, but the WhatsApp team is apparently working on a second version of the multi-device function. It's said that the team has been planning this since last year and here's what we know so far.

According to WABetaInfo.com, you can see that there's a "Register Device as Companion" on the screenshot when you try to add WhatsApp on another smartphone. In other words, you could use another phone to open your current WhatsApp account without any issues after linking it.

On top of that, an Android tablet is compatible with this function as well but we don't know exactly how many devices can it add up. It also seems that the development is only intended for Android phones for now, so there's no word for iOS yet. The main phone needs to be present for the link via QR code.

The WhatsApp team has gotten really busy by adding lots of new features, the latest one was the upgraded group voice calls where a chat room can add up to 32 participants at once to talk. No release date has been revealed so we will just have to wait and see. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is enhancing group management better for admins, updates coming soon

As WhatsApp continues to update its app, the latest update is making groups more manageable for admins as well as allowing participants to navigate around. Read on below to check out this short news.

For admins, WhatsApp is giving admins more control over privacy in group chats. Admins will be given a new tool that can decide who can join the group as well as choose to share the invite link or make their group joinable in a community. As you can see in the image below, admins can quickly accept requests and see which groups they have in common.

Speaking of having common groups, the WhatsApp team is also making it easier for admins to check and remember the group names that they share with someone. They just need to search for a contact's name and the WhatsApp UI will just show up the common groups (if any). It's super easy, barely an inconvenience.

WhatsApp said that the new updates will be rolling out soon globally in the next few weeks. That's all, folks. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is finally launching an official dark mode for both iOS and Android!

Ever since the launch of the dark mode system across the iOS and Android platforms last year, users have been expecting the social apps to have it as well. Today, WhatsApp has finally announced that it will be rolling out an official dark mode for both iOS and Android.

The WhatsApp dark mode is designed with the color palette that is closer to the system default on iPhone and Android. It is designed to minimize eye fatigue while reading in low light environments with the color and other design elements will make sure the important information stands out. Besides, the company also mentioned it hopes to help prevent those awkward moments where your phone lights up the room.

The new dark mode will automatically turn on when you set your system theme to dark on Android 10. For Android 9 Pie and below, you will need to manually enable dark mode from its settings in the app (WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Theme > select Dark). As for Apple devices, the dark mode will only be available on iOS 13 (system theme), those who are not running on iOS 13 will not be getting it.

If you have not received the new dark mode update yet, just be patient as the update takes time to rollout globally. Are you a fan of the dark mode? Let us know at our Facebook page and stay tuned for more news updates on TechNave.com!


WhatsApp is finally rolling out the update that comes with "always mute chat" option

A few months ago, we have mentioned that WhatsApp is working on the option to let users mute their chats forever. Now, it looks like the feature will be rolled out to everyone soon as some users have gotten the update. Other than that, they are also going to upgrade the storage interface which will give more insight to users regarding consumption.

Spotted in version 2.20.201.9 of WhatsApp, users can now choose "Always" to mute certain chats forever. Before this, users can only choose to mute the chats for eight hours, one week, and one year. It is suggested that it could be a server-side update and will take a few days to reach everyone.

Besides the mute chat forever update, WABetaInfo has reported that WhatsApp is going to bring a new look to the storage management page. The new storage management page allows users to look for large/forwarded files and view storage consumption by chat history. It will suggest users the files for deletion as well. However, we might need to wait for a while for WhatsApp to work on this update.

Let us know what you think about these new features from WhatsApp on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more exciting new app updates.


Apple iPad mini 6 might have its volume button relocated to fit Apple Pencil

The next Apple iPad mini will reportedly feature a major design change to match with the current full-screen iPads. Earlier, we've already witnessed the iPad mini 6's aluminium production moulds, with colourful renders appearing later. Now, an accessory maker has also shown its version of the iPad mini 6 that has some interesting changes.

According to the images shared by Majin Bu, the iPad mini 6 will have its volume button relocated to the top side of the device. Doing so can help the considerably small-sized tablet to fit the Apple Pencil on the sides. Furthermore, the iPad Pro and iPad Air models are large enough for the accessory to fit even with the volume button on the side, so it makes sense for the company to make changes like this one for better usability.

However, the renders made by reputable leaker Jon Prosser suggested that there will not be any changes to the device's buttons, and the company will instead launch a smaller version of the Apple Pencil for the new iPad mini. Although it has not been confirmed, the last aluminium mould leak also shows that the button will be relocated, and accessory makers usually get their hands on accurate dimensions before launch. Therefore, it appears to be a higher chance for the button to be placed differently compared to previous models.

Are you excited about seeing the new iPad mini? Share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment and stay tuned to TechNave.com for the latest tech leak.


WhatsApp is now rolling out Call Links by allowing users to join call through a link

WhatsApp is finally rolling out a feature that it announced last month. Call Links, which allows users to join calls through links, will make joining or starting group calls on the messaging platform easy. It's basically similar to the feature we have on popular video-conferencing tools like Google Meet and Zoom.

To create a link for a call, you'll find a new "Create call link" option on top of the call log from the Calls tab. Tapping the button will instantly create a new link that can get shared with others. Users can also select the call types between voice and video before sharing. WhatsApp offers options to share the link within the app or some other medium. Of course, users can also copy and paste the link wherever they want.

All users need to access the link is a WhatsApp account, regardless of whether they have the link creator's phone number saved as a contact. However, take note that everyone who has the link can join the call. Therefore, you might not want to share it with someone else. After receiving a link, users will see two buttons to leave or join the call. Once inside, they'll see the same interface as the regular call.

Do you find this feature useful? Share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for the latest tech report.


WhatsApp is now testing disappearing messages after 24 hours

Apart from making images disappear in the near future, it seems that the WhatsApp team is also working on making messages self-destruct. Not exactly a new feature, you already do it on your WhatsApp but it's more like testing a different expiration date.

This information was found on WABetaInfo's Twitter account, who is usually known for releasing reputable news on WhatsApp developments. From the tweet, they are now testing for messages to disappear after 24 hours. They also later retweeted it to avoid confusion as the feature already exist but after 7 days only, the team is currently testing different expiration dates.

To avoid misinformation, WhatsApp already supports disappearing messages since a few months: check out Contact/Group Info. If you enable this feature, messages disappear after 7 days.WhatsApp is currently testing a different expiration now and this test is under development. https://t.co/sIxCPoYXEu

In case you have forgotten, the disappearing messages feature will allow the user to see them for 7 days only as aforementioned. You can set this option by going into any group or individual chat room and look for "Disappearing messages". We don't know when the update will roll out but then again, it may not even see the light of the tunnel.

WhatsApp is sure busy with several new testing features. They recently pushed out WhatsApp desktop video and voice call, as well as muting videos before sharing. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new ‘Communities’ tab feature on iOS and Android

Popular messaging app WhatsApp may be adding a new way to to find updates and interact with all your group chats within a single tab. Called the ‘Communities’ tab, it is currently being tested by the platform on its latest beta version on both iOS and Android.

So, what is this communities tab all about? Well, it is basically a tab to view all your WhatsApp groups together. From the look of it, the tab is also replacing the camera tab currently found on the latest version of WhatsApp.

As shared by wabetainfo, if you open the new tab without having any group chats available, it will go into detail about what the communities tab is all about. The explanation reads, “Communities bring related groups together. Any community you create or get added to will appear here.”

wabetainfo further revealed that a community would also allow users to reach everyone at once by sending messages to all their members. However, this is only if you’re an admin of the community.

For now, no time frame was revealed for the release of this feature in the full WhatsApp app version. In fact, like many other features tested in the beta version, it may not actually see the light of day.

Well, only one way to find out whether this feature would be added to WhatsApp in the future or not, which is to wait for that future to arrive. One thing’s for certain though, we will be there to report on the new feature if it comes, so make sure to always stay tuned to TechNave.

What do you guys think of this new feature currently in the works by WhatsApp? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.


WhatsApp is rolling out a new update that lets your photos and videos disappear after viewing once

As we continue on the pandemic crisis in Malaysia, so are the influx of forwarded messages on WhatsApp. Today, the WhatsApp team has announced that they are rolling out a new feature called View Once that can solve the issue of images and videos taking up spaces on your phone.

As the name suggests, the View Once photos and videos will disappear after you open the files. Not only will this save more space but also give users more control over their privacy. For example, sharing a WiFi password or some places that you have been. WhatsApp also ensures that the View Once media is on end-to-end encryption.

As aforementioned, the new View Once update is rolling out globally right now. We are totally looking forward to this to put an end to WhatsApp friends and family hogging our phones' spaces. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is rolling out new feature "View Once" to Android beta users

Disappearing messages is probably one of the most sought after features for messaging apps these days. Some users would like to have their texts go away forever after the recipients read them, be it for cleaning purposes or getting rid of something they don't want others to read. After letting its users send messages that disappear after seven days, WhatsApp is now rolling out the function for photos and videos to Android beta users.

The feature is called "View Once" and it is now available for those who signed up to be the beta testers. If you're one of them, you can find a dedicated icon that looks like a timer in the caption input field when wanting to send media. Instead of letting it stay in the chat for seven days, the media will disappear once the recipient opens it as what the name of the feature implies.

Unfortunately, this feature doesn't guarantee that the others won't screenshot the things you send. It is also worth mentioning that those who have their read receipts turned off won't stop others from being notified if a view once message has been opened. When in groups, it still can be found out when members have opened disappearing media even if you have read receipts disabled.

Let us know what you think about this new WhatsApp function on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more app updates.


WhatsApp is rolling out redesigned in-app notification and Snapchat like camera features on iOS!

WhatsApp has been working on new updates and features lately for both Android and iOS users. Today, we the company is working on a few new additional features to its iOS app with the ability to only ‘view once’ for photos and videos as well as a new redesigned in-app notification.

According to the source, this feature is already available to Android Beta testers recently and finally available for iOS Beta users. This feature will allow senders to send pictures and videos that will disappear once they have been seen just like on Snapchat. But users will not be notified if anyone screenshot it.

Another new feature rolling out on the Beta version will be the new in-app notification. Users can now see more details in the notification banner like GIFs, videos, images, and stickers without having to open into the chat box. However, the messages that are viewed through the notification banner will not count as ‘read’ until you open up into the chatbox.

Either way, there is still no official information on the official release dates for these new features, but if you downloaded as a beta tester on TestFlight, you can now immediately try these features on your iPhone. Stay tuned for more tech news updates on TechNave.com


WhatsApp is rolling out the new 2GB File Sharing feature now

For the past few months, WhatsApp has been adding a few features such as emoji reactions, increase voice call group members and others. However, one of the last features that the company is planning to update is increasing the file size and it may be coming soon.

According to sources, it seems that the 2GB file sharing improvement is being gradually updated on WhatsApp. As you can see in the screenshot above, it's possible to transfer a 1GB file now. We tried on our own WhatsApp but looks like it's not here yet.

To refresh your memory, WhatsApp limits the file size to 100MB only. With this, we could only send low-resolution photos and short video clips to our friends and family. Have you received the new update yet? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is testing ‘Expiring Groups’ that would self-destruct after a set date

WhatsApp is currently testing a new feature for group chats that would allow users to set an expiration date for the group. Aptly named ‘Expiring Groups’, the feature was introduced on the WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.5.0.70 update, meaning that it may end up in the full version of the app soon.

First spotted by WABetaInfo, the feature allows users to set a certain expiration date for their groups. Once the date is reached, they would be prompted to clean up the group chat.

From the screenshots shared by WABetaInfo, the feature provides users with three options for the Expiring Groups for the admin, which are one day, one week and a custom date. Moreover, there’s also an option to remove the expiration date should users have a change of heart and don’t want the group chat to self-destruct.

So, will WhatsApp roll out this feature to the full version? Well, we just have to wait until an announcement is made, though features being tested in beta usually do make their way to the full version of the app eventually.

What do you guys think of the Expiring Groups feature? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news such as this.


WhatsApp is testing out sharing status to Facebook Story on Android

In this upcoming WhatsApp update, WABetainfo.com reported that there would be a new sharing status update of Facebook Story for WhatsApp. Currently available in beta for Android 2.23.9.22 on the Google Play Store, here's what we know so far.

According to the source, the Facebook Story can be automatically updated if the user manually enables it inside the WhatsApp settings. This can be seen in the screenshot below, whereby users have the option to do so in Status privacy. On top of that, you can also choose to share with your contacts or select certain individuals.

Previously, there was a similar feature where users could share status updates but within limitations. There's no word if this new function will be available for iOS users but we think it will, just a bit later since the beta is now on Android. Until then, we just have to wait for the rollout from the WhatsApp team.


WhatsApp is upgrading voice messages

Do you send text messages or prefer leaving voice notes? A lot of WhatsApp users in Malaysia prefer doing the latter, so features related to it are always welcome. Well, the company has been working on a big upgrade for voice messages and it's now available.

According to the announcement, the WhatsApp update will bring six updates to voice messages. This includes Out of Chat Playback, Pause/Resume Recording, Waveform Visualisation, Draft Preview, Remember Playback, and Fast Playback on Forwarded Messages. The app was updated yesterday, so you could probably start using them now.

Anyway, the functions for these are quite obvious. But Draft Preview is personally the one I find most useful, as it lets you check if your voice message is clear enough. Pause/Resume Recording and Remember Playback are also handy, in case you have to leave the chat or get interrupted. You can refer to the announcement for details.

So, have any of you gotten the update yet? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Apple iPad mini vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 comparison

The Apple iPad mini is the first generation 7.9-inch tablet from Apple while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is the official next generation tablet after the first Samsung Galaxy Tab (despite there being several other tablets that came directly after the first Galaxy Tab). Both fit the 7-inch touchscreen tablet class but each device has it's own tech specs, features and pricing. The main question that we're looking to answer this time is which device is better in this comparison between the Apple iPad mini and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0.

Both the Apple iPad mini and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 are previous generation products, but while the design for the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is about as generic a tablet can be, the design for the iPad mini is the latest in the Apple range of tablets. At 7.2mm the iPad mini is the thinnest Apple tablet available and the narrow bezels and slimmer design are currently being copied by newer tablets like the Apple iPad Air and Apple iPad mini with Retina Display. Build quality for the Apple iPad mini is premium level with a rigid but thin and strong aluminum unibody chassis. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 on the other hand is mostly plastic. While the build quality for the Tab 2 7.0 is solid it hardly feels premium. While both displays are normal non-Retina Display screens, the Apple iPad mini has an extra 0.9-inches, which we feel makes the screen seem less cramped when put in landscape made on it's side. When you put the Tab 2 7.0 in landscape mode, the screen feels a bit like a too wide wide screen display.

The design of the Apple iPad mini is currently the latest design template followed by the newest Apple iPads everywhere

Just looking at the tech specs between the Apple iPad mini and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 can be misleading, especially if you're unfamiliar with Apple's optimized iOS operating system. From a pure tech specs perspective which you can see via our Technave.com comparison tool, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 has more memory with 1GB of RAM and what appears to be a faster clocked dual-core processor. However, you will find that the Apple iPad mini has no lag, can upgrade to the latest iOS 7 operating system and comes jam packed with a better camera and free yet fully functional entertainment and productivity apps. The Tab 2 7.0 has some lag, is stuck on Android 4.1.1 and comes with a good amount of Samsung bloatware. In addition, if you want good productivity or entertainment apps on the Tab 2 7.0 you're going to have to either download or buy them yourself separately. Talking about connectivity, while the Tab 2 7.0 has 3G the Apple iPad mini has 4G LTE support as well for faster mobile connections. Both have similar battery life but we feel that the iPad mini gives a richer and more complete user experience than the Tab 2 7.0 as there is better integration and the iPad mini is easier to use.

The Apple iPad mini offers a bit more screen space and looks more natural than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

At RM799 this is the only aspect where the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 pulls ahead of the Apple iPad mini Cellular version which currently goes at RM1379 for the 16GB model. However, is this really value you're paying for? Considering the features that you get for the price, you are getting a solid 3G capable tablet with the Tab 2 7.0 but the reverse is also true. For the price of the iPad mini you are getting a premium 4G LTE tablet with all the bells and whistles so in the end, you are getting your money's worth with either device.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 makes for a solid tablet with a good value RM799 price.

After taking a closer look at both the Apple iPad mini and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 we can safely say that it isn't a fair apples vs oranges comparison. The iPad mini is clearly the more premium device with faster 4G LTE connectivity, better build quality and more useful apps and functions. If this was just a comparison of performance and design we'd pick the Apple iPad mini with ease but since it involves price as well the more affordable Tab 2 7.0 does have a place in today's tablet market as well. If price is your main deciding factor then the Tab 2 7.0 is the better buy, but if you're actually looking to do some work with a tablet the iPad mini is the better choice.

Our choice in this comparison would have to be the Apple iPad mini because despite the lower tech specs and higher price, the optimized performance, premium build and better productivity features makes it the better mobile 7-inch tablet


WhatsApp is working on a 24-hours disappearing messages feature!

WhatsApp has got into a few troubles lately and one of it will be the absurdity of WhatsApp privacy. Although we notice that a lot of users have been moving to other alternative messaging apps, it still remains its popularity and it still continues to introduce and improve on their features. Today, the developer is working on the improvement of its disappearing message feature.

According to the source, WhatsApp is now currently working on a 24-hour disappearing option for its self-destruction message feature. This feature was introduced last year which has only one option, the messages will vanish after 7 days. This makes no difference as the messages still will stay on for 7 days before disappearing.

With the new improvement, a 24-hour disappearing option will be added in so the user has the option to choose for it and make more sense now. Currently we are still unsure will the feature be available for both iOS and Android as we only got the screenshot on an iOS phone. Besides, there will be another feature which is focusing on the disappearing of photos and videos as well.

With that said, WhatsApp is really trying to work on its improvement on the messaging app, but will this feature be practical and put on good use? I guess we will need to see after it rolls out. So stay tuned for more tech news updates on TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is working on a new standalone app for both Windows and macOS users

"Wait a minute...but we already have WhatsApp for desktop, right?" That's what we thought too, but the WhatsApp team is developing something far more than that. In case you didn't know, they are developing a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) for both Windows and macOS.

The UWP is quite a big deal for Windows users because it shall serve as a standalone app that's different from the current WhatsApp Desktop. It would function more or less the same but with one major difference - it supports multi-device so you don't always need your phone online to work.

As for macOS Catalyst, it's also in development which is said to look similar to the Windows version and on the iPad as well. Moreover, those who have the iPad and macOS Catalyst will be able to support the compatibility. This was made possible thanks to the blessings from Apple who allowed the team to work on a standalone version.

There's no official release date for macOS yet, so we will need to wait patiently. However, you can try out the new WhatsApp beta app from Microsoft's page right here. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is working on a voice note function that doesn't get cut off after leaving a chatroom

It's understood that when we listen to a voice chat in WhatsApp, we can't leave the chat room until it's finished otherwise it would get cut off whenever we do. Well, the WhatsApp team is actually working on that and the new feature will be rolling out for iOS first globally.

According to WABetaInfo.com, the development team is working on a voice note function that would appear in the chat list. On top of that, this voice note won't get cut off if we leave a certain chat room. At the moment, this function is currently available to some iOS beta testers including WhatsApp Busines beta.

While it's nice that the voice note won't be interrupted after leaving the chat room, it will still stop if you enter another different chat room. WABetaInfo said that if you experienced that, it means your WhatsApp account is not ready for that so you will just have to wait for the update in the future.

As for the voice note coming to Android, it's currently under development and there's no information about the release date yet. Until then, Android users will have to be patient about it after iOS users get it first sometime this year. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp is working on two-step verification for PC app

Now that Multi-Device is on WhatsApp, the next thing that's important for users would be authentication. After all, you won't want someone to get access to your chat by stealing your phone or laptop, right? Well, that's currently something the company is working on.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp plans to bring two-step verification to desktop and laptop PCs. Specifically, the feature would apply to the PC and web version of WhatsApp. Once this feature is implemented, WhatsApp will ask you for a 6-digit code whenever you register a new device. You will also have to enter a PIN to log in to your account.

As you can tell, this type of 2-step authentication provides better security for your online accounts. It's like the TAC you need to key in when you do an online banking transaction. Since it's a PC app, WhatsApp could also make it work with other Windows authentication features like Windows Hello.

So, do you think this form of security is good enough? What else do you think these companies can do to improve app security? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


WhatsApp looking to import 'filter chat' from WhatsApp Business for everyone

In another episode, WhatsApp is looking to bring in another feature for everyone. Although it's not new, the next update is bringing the 'filter chats' function officially from WhatsApp Business.

In case you didn't know, the filter chats function was first introduced in WhatsApp Business for sellers to find all the unread chats easily. It's available on iOS, Android and Desktop so we are expecting the same update for the standard WhatsApp.

As you can see in the screenshot (on Desktop mode), the function will appear beside the search engine in WhatsApp. Besides finding unread chats, the function will also let you quickly search for Contacts, Non-contacts and Groups. At the moment, there isn't a release date yet but WABetaInfo.com said that some users are already experiencing it.

This function will definitely be most useful for standard WhatsApp users, but we think we can expect a new update sooner or later so let's just wait for it. So far, we have received a few new updates that include Reactions, bigger file sharing (up to 2GB), and upgraded group voice calls (up to 32 participants). WhatsApp Companion will be the next one.

Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com


WhatsApp makes new changes to forwarding messages, limiting to 5 per chat

It's not uncommon for many people to receive quick news on their WhatsApp group chats nowadays. In fact, during this Movement Control Order period, some of your uncles and aunties got the news faster than the official ones. With this, we were informed that WhatsApp have just introduced a new limit on forwarding messages.

So how many messages can be forwarded now? Answer - 5 messages can only be forwarded to one chat at a time. Asides from battling against false information from spreading around, the WhatsApp team did this to slow down overwhelming information coming at once. This is particularly useful for busy people who don't have time to read everything on their respective WhatsApp group chats.

The WhatsApp team have been evaluating this and gaining feedback from users for 6 months. However, they won't stop there as they will continue to collect comments from this new implementation and will look for new ways of addressing viral content. In addition to that, the team have also set up links to fact-checking organizations on their Coronavirus Information Hub.

So what do you think of this change? We think it's a good first step to minimize waves of chain messaging. The new update will be rolling out soon so do check you Apple App and Google Play Store for it, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp may allow photo sharing at original quality soon

WhatsApp may soon allow users to send photos at their original quality after the feature was spotted on the beta version of the app. This means that the Meta-owned messaging platform is currently testing the feature out and may well be included in a future update of the app.

The option to share photos in their original quality was first spotted by WABetaInfo. Found on the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.23.211, there’s a new setting icon within the drawing tool header to choose photo quality.

Through this setting, users have more control over the quality option of the photos that they’re sending, including HD and original quality. Currently, there is no option to send photos in their original quality, with WhatsApp compressing the photo shared, thus losing out on some important details.

Of course, do take this information with a grain of salt as the feature is only spotted on the beta version of the app. Hence, there is no confirmation whether the feature would end up in the final version of the app.

What do you guys think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news such as this.


WhatsApp may soon allow users to edit sent text messages

One of the most popular messaging platforms in the world, WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that is sure to make users that are prone to typos happy. Get this, the messaging app is working on the ability to edit text messages after they have already been sent!

Shared by wabetainfo, this ‘Edit text messages’ feature is currently being developed again after the idea was first experimented with by WhatsApp some five years ago. Essentially, the feature allows users to fix any typo after sending a message.

wabetainfo further shared a screenshot of the new feature in action, whereby when you long press a message, there will be a new ‘Edit’ option at the very bottom under ‘Copy’. However, since this feature is still under development, there’s not much info on how it would function, for example, whether there will only be a limited time window to edit messages or if recipients can check on edit history.

Furthermore, as this feature is still under development, there is no guarantee as to whether it would end up on the app or even its beta version. Well, we’ll just have to wait and see I guess.

What do you guys think? Would you want this feature on WhatsApp? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest trending tech news!


WhatsApp may soon allow users to recover deleted messages

Popular messaging platform WhatsApp is currently testing out a new feature on the beta version of the app that would allow users to recover messages deleted by mistake. The feature was spotted on the latest version of the app’s Google Beta Programme and gives a limited time period for users to recover any messages that they have deleted.

As shared by WABetaInfo, the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.22.13.5 update now shows a bar menu at the bottom of the chat window when an attempt to delete a message for you is detected. Users are then given a few seconds to recover the deleted message if you previously wanted to delete it for everyone.

It seems that this feature is for those that want to delete a sent messages for everyone but accidentally pressed delete message ‘for me’. As of the current final release of WhatsApp, there is no way to delete a message for everyone if you’ve already deleted the message just ‘for me’.

WABetaInfo further found that the feature is not available on everyone in the WhatsApp beta for Android just yet, but only popping up for certain users. Moreover, since it’s now in the beta version of the app, the Meta-owned messaging platform may be introducing the feature in its final version of the app if they deem it necessary after successfully beta testing it. On the flip side, WhatsApp may find that the feature is not necessary too and be discarding it in future beta versions.

What do you guys think? Would you welcome this feature or something similar on WhatsApp? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


WhatsApp may soon allow users to switch between multiple accounts on one device

Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp may be adding a feature that users have always been asking for. Spotted in its latest Android beta version, WhatsApp is currently testing a multi-account feature on the app.

Shared by WABetaInfo, the feature allows users to switch between multiple WhatsApp accounts on the same device. This essentially makes clone apps obsolete for the messaging app and a welcomed development for those having more than one phone number on WhatsApp.

Based on the screenshot by WABetaInfo, changing to another account is similar to how it is done on Facebook and Instagram. This comes as no surprise though, as all three platforms are owned by Meta.

The multi-account feature was part of WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.23.13.5, meaning that it’s far from being perfect. Furthermore, like other features tested in beta, it remains to be seen whether it would make it to the full version of the app.

So, what do you guys think of this feature? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news such as this.


Apple iPad mini with Retina Display (iPad mini 2) review

When Apple first came out with the Apple iPad mini we loved it's better design as the slimmer bezels and narrower look made it awesome to handle. However, while the 7.9-inch screen was still very good in itself, we wondered why Apple didn't put in a Retina Display like it had with the most recent version (at the time) of the Apple iPad. Turns out, they were waiting for the next generation Apple iPad mini 2 or as Apple wants to call it, the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display. The smaller Apple tablet that could is now a lot more capable as Apple have not only added on the expected (and much wanted) Retina Display, but have also included a very capable hardware upgrade. Read on to see our full review of the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display.

At 7.5mm thin and 331g, the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display is both heavier and thicker than before but the differences are hardly noticeable even if you put both tablets side by side. The slim bezel and narrow profile remain the same while the new 7.9-inch Retina Display looks very sharp with it's 1536 x 2048 pixel resolution. Images and Movies simply pop on this screen and to top it all off, the smaller sized screen also means it has a 324 ppi pixel density which is one of the highest in the 7-inch tablet market, rivalling that of the latest Google Nexus 7 which is 323 ppi. Thankfully, the iPad mini with Retina Display retains the same solid feel and tough rigidity as it's previous version. Despite being very thin and light, it is also very solid, perhaps thanks to the aluminum unibody chassis and very good build quality. In short, it looks as good as it used to and should get second glances with ease. Like the original iPad mini, the extra 0.9-inch screen real estate makes the iPad mini with Retina Display look more natural in Landscape, matching up with notebook screens. Try doing that with a standard 7-inch tablet and you'll think that it is more of a cramped wide-screen mini TV. The new space grey colour option is nice but we'd have liked a champagne gold option even better.

The Apple iPad mini with Retina Display does more than just add on a Retina Display (which looks awesome by the way). It also adds on the latest 1.3GHz dual-core 64-bit A7 processor, complete with M7 coprocessor for motion detection. The graphics chips has been upgraded to the PowerVR G643D which supports OpenGL ES 3.0 and a bigger 23.8 Wh battery has been included as well. Other new tech specs and features include more LTE bands and a spruced up dual-antenna MIMO WiFi. You also get 1GB of RAM and storage options from 16GB to 128GB. Unfortunately, everything else remains the same as the 5MP iSight rear camera and audio are the same as before. There is a new feature with the camera in that it has 3X zoom but this is more due to firmware updates than anything else. Like other new Apple products, the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display comes packing iOS 7.

While most features remain the same, the features that are new offer more functionality and performance

If you had to wait minutes for an app to load on the original iPad mini, you only have to wait seconds on the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display. This is probably the most noticeable part about the performance of the 64-bit A7 chip. While there are still very few 64-bit apps or games on the App store that take advantage of the OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics on the tablet, those that do allow for more realism as you get better particle effects, more moving objects on the screen and better overall graphics. Games with these features look much nicer than those without as you have armor and swords with actual textures and blades of grass that actually look like they are naturally moving in the wind as opposed to a static animation. Will you find the same graphics performance anywhere else?

The newer hardware Apple iPad mini with Retina Display is more than double the performance of the Apple iPad mini

Perhaps with tablets that sport the NVIDIA Tegra 4 but you won't find any other 7-inch tablet with a 64-bit processor, future proofing your apps for the next couple of years. According to Apple, the dual-antenna MIMO hardware makes for even faster and more reliable connectivity but while it is good or perhaps better than the WiFi on the original iPad mini, it isn't as noticeable as the other hardware upgrades. While the battery is larger on the iPad mini with Retina Display, bear in mind that the Retina Display and better hardware do use more energy. Thankfully, battery life remains the same more or less with about 10 to 11 hours on a single charge. Camera performance remains more or less the same though but this isn't a bad thing as you can still record 1080p video at 30 frames per second and get reasonable autofocused pictures with geo-tagging and face detection. You do get FaceTime over cellular with the 1.2MP FaceTime front camera but this is only good if you're a mobile FaceTime user.

Infinity Blade III is one of the few games to support OpenGL ES 3.0 and as you can see above, looks like a desktop game on the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display

It is an unfortunate truth but Apple products are usually pricier than others. This wasn't so bad with the original Apple iPad mini which was priced at RM999 for the basic 16GB WiFi only version when it first came out but the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display looks to up the price to either RM1249 or RM1299 based on the US pricing of the tablet. With the coming of the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display, the basic 16GB WiFi version of the Apple iPad mini has been discounted down to RM949 so we could expect a nearly RM350 price gap between the two 7.9-inch Apple iPad mini tablets. So far, US prices have usually matched up with Malaysian prices but recently pricing has gone up due to the drop in Malaysian currency value. Bear in mind that these are only estimates as the local Malaysian pricing has yet to arrive. We should know more by the November or December 2013 when the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display is said to be available but for now these are our best pricing estimates.

When the Apple iPad mini first came out it was largely seen as the entry-level or 'cheap' Apple iPad tablet to get. Despite that it still managed to pack in literally the same hardware as the Apple iPad 2, but in a smaller package. The Apple iPad mini 2 or iPad mini with Retina Display does the same with the Apple iPad Air, it packs in the same Retina Display and 64-bit hardware into a smaller, more lightweight package, but unlike the original iPad mini, this gives it the advantage of a much higher pixel density and relatively lighter weight. The higher price of the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display compared to the Apple iPad mini means it is no longer the entry-level Apple iPad tablet in this range but it is still less expensive than both the Apple iPad 2 and Apple iPad Air. In addition, it packs in the same performance as the Apple iPad Air and future proofs all of your apps for the next couple of years making it (in our opinion), the better Apple iPad tablet to get in the whole bunch. If you're looking to get an Apple iPad tablet and don't care about the size of the screen, then the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display is the perfect one to pick and offers performance and build quality much higher than other touchscreen tablets in the same size range. You will have to pay a bit more for this though, but then Apple has always been about premium price and performance anyways. While you can do work with the original Apple iPad mini, the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display makes the whole experience a lot nicer, and it should be an awesome computing companion tablet for the student or exec looking for a lighter and more portable computing device.

The Apple iPad mini with Retina Display not only looks good but delivers working performance on par with a notebook


WhatsApp may soon let users view past participants of their group chats

Popular messaging platform WhatsApp is currently testing out a new feature on its app in regards to group chats. Spotted on the latest version of WhatsApp beta for iOS, users can now see past participants of their groups at the group info section.

As reported by WaBetaInfo, the feature is available on the 22.16.0.70 beta version update that has started to roll out to iOS beta users since yesterday. This section is visible to all participants of the group and the option can be found at the very end of the list of group participants.

Furthermore, the feature lets users see participants that have left or been removed from the group in the past 60 days. It is unsure why WhatsApp added this feature as it is not particularly something that users have been requesting for.

Moreover, as it is only available in the beta version right now, it is not yet sure whether WhatsApp will be implementing it within the actual app. Well. we just have to wait to find out I guess.

What do you guys think of this feature? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news!


WhatsApp might allow users to choose the quality of images and videos soon

Sending images on WhatsApp can be a hassle for some of us as the messaging app compresses almost everything you want to share. However, things might change soon as it's spotted that the platform is currently developing features that let users choose the quality of images and videos sending out in chats.

WABetaInfo found out that the features are currently in the works for the Android app by allowing users to choose among three quality options "Auto," "Best quality," or "Data saver" when sending out images and videos. If it gets to the public, it's believed that users can go with the lowest setting to save some data or with the highest one for the best possible quality.

However, it's unsure how the "Best Quality" images look like as there are no screenshots of the feature in real-life action. At the moment, if users wanted to send high-quality images rather than compressed ones, they would have to convert the images files to documents. Let's hope that WhatsApp will officially release the new feature soon to save us some trouble.

Let us know what you think about the WhatsApp feature on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news.


WhatsApp might release a new ‘Newsletter’ feature soon

Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp was recently spotted testing a new ‘Newsletter’ feature in the latest beta version of its Android app. As the name suggests, the feature allows users to subscribe to newsletters from their favourite channel’s broadcasts.

Spotted by WABetaInfo, the feature is placed in the Status tab and will have a dedicated space. Moreover, users can search for the newsletter by username and unsubscribe at any time.

With the addition of Newsletter, it seems that the UI for the status tab has been tweaked. Status updates from your contacts are now placed horizontally rather than vertically, similar to how it is on Instagram.

Given that the feature is still in beta, (beta v2.23.5.8 on Android to be exact), it is unclear when Newsletter will be ported to the full version of WhatsApp. Well, be sure to stay tuned to TechNave for the latest development on this as well as the latest trending tech news.


WhatsApp multi-device support up to 4 is under development & more upcoming features

WhatsApp has been quite busy over the past few months, coming with various updates such as accessing to Messenger Rooms and just recently, a "WhatsApp Pay" feature that has begun in Brazil. But that is just the tip of an iceberg, for in the coming months there will be several new features such as multi-device support, new search tools, storage interface and more.

According to WABetaInfo's tweet post, the multi-device support will allow WhatsApp users to sync up their account to up to 4 devices. That will be pretty useful if you have more than one smartphone which is quite common in Malaysia, so if you open up your WhatsApp on two different devices at the same time, it won't clash together. It's currently under development so we don't know when it will be released, but this is certainly a feature that we look forward to.

Yes, it's the ability to use your WhatsApp account from 4 devices at the same time.Under development, but it's great! pic.twitter.com/JYvtMahrag

Next, the WhatsApp team is also working on a new Search By Date feature. How this works is that a new calendar icon will appear above the keyboard and by tapping on it, you can choose any date for your messages. The new Storage Usage tools also have a new look and more tidy, even integrating a 'Sort By' button with newest to oldest, or size.

Wait, there's more - You can also see a new 'Clear Except Starred' which should come in handy, that means no more losing starred messages when clearing your Whatsapp! The team is also testing a ShareChat video player feature but it seems that this will only be for the Indian market. Since ShareChat is a popular Indian social network app, the feature will look more or less the same as playing a YouTube video in the chat room via picture-in-picture mode.

These new features look promising but since they are all under development, there's also a chance that they might not make it to the final stage before release. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp new Reaction feature and Speeding Audio Messages feature is launching soon!

WhatsApp has been constantly working on new features recently and one of them is the new Reaction feature. The team has been working on this new feature for months now, although the reports shows the app is still trying to make improvements for this new feature, it seems the launch of this feature is near.According to WABetainfo, the reaction feature will be available for both individual and group chats. Everyone will be able to see whoever reacted to a message by viewing the reaction info tab. Just like on the screenshot, there will be two different tabs for “ALL” and a specific emoji. Currently the emojis are limited to only six emojis such as “Like,” “Love,” “Laugh,” “Surprised,” “Sad,” and “Thanks.”

For now,  WABetaInfo mentioned it is still under development and there isn’t any clear info on the release date yet for this feature but there is another feature from WhatsApp that will be available soon which is the ability to play audio messages at different speeds just like the one on voice messages. The difference between audio message and voice message are the ones that are being forwarded as voice notes which for now, doesn't have any button to speed up the playback speed.

As of now, there’s still no official confirmation on the official release dates for both new features, So do keep an eye for the upcoming news and stay tuned for more tech news updates on TechNave.com


WhatsApp new feature allow you to complete shopping on it

Good news to entrepreneurs who run a business on Facebook, as the company will make business transaction easier soon. The businesses can directly sell their products on WhatsApp and the buyers can directly make an order from there.

Based on the promotion video, you can directly text the seller and check out the catalog on WhatsApp. Besides that, you also can make an order on by adding to the cart as well. According to the sources, WhatsApp has catalog features in the past but it had a limitation on previewing the items if comparing it with Facebook.

Additionally, there’s a Facebook Shops tab which allow the seller to create product catalogs across Facebook and Instagram. Earlier this year, Facebook Pay just began rolling out in Brazil as a test and we think WhatsApp may also do the same.

So what do you think about this feature? Let us know in the comments below, be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com


WhatsApp now allows users to mute videos before sharing

Although not many complaints that we can make about the features offered by WhatsApp (aside from privacy policy), the chat platform is still constantly adding new stuff to improve the user's experience. At the end of last year, a rumour had appeared saying that WhatsApp is testing on an extra feature that lets users mute videos before sharing. Until now, the testing phase has finally come to an end and it will be available for all users.

WhatsApp users can now update the app through app stores to use this new feature. To mute a video, all users have to do is just tap on the 'mute' icon shown below the timeline. This feature could be helpful for blocking out annoying background noise, or audio that is not important when sending out videos.

Let us know what you think about this new WhatsApp feature on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech updates.


WhatsApp now developing a new Communities feature for better group chat functions

Having WhatsApp groups for various reasons like a working chat group or group projects are the norm but sometimes it can get annoying with the number of spam messages. Just recently, WABetainfo just found out that the WhatsApp team is working on a new Communities function for that.

Currently in the Test Flight Beta program, WhatsApp Communities is a new private group chat where group admins have more control. It's said that group admins can link other groups in the Community for convenience as well as send announcements to keep them updated.

How is this any different from simply making a new group chat, though? Well, the sources didn't say much but we assume that the announcements would be less "spammy". On top of that, it's also said that "it will be possible to reach everyone at once by sending messages to all participants of those groups linked to the community".

Since it's designed and intended to be a private place, the people in Communities are protected by end-to-end encryption. WhatsApp Communities is in WhatsApp Beta for Android but no news yet for iOS. Guess we will just have to wait and see. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp now has a 32-person video calling session & more

WhatsApp has been adding a lot of features this year and the latest one before ending 2022 is Improved Calling. In this update, the company has added 32 Person Calls, Message or Mute Call Participants and Call Links.

The new features are pretty straightforward. Just like with voice calls, you can now do video calls on your mobile with up to 32 people (which is four times the number of people than before). You can also choose to message or mute a call by doing a long press on a participant, which will also enlarge the video or audio feed while the calls are ongoing. Finally, you can easily invite people to a group call by sharing a call link.

On top of that, there are other design changes made in the update. WhatsApp has also added colourful waveforms so that you can see who is speaking if their camera is off. An in-call banner notification will appear when someone new joins a group call and last but not least, there is beta testing on a Picture-in-Picture for iOS users. It should be rolling out in the new year.

To recap, WhatsApp has added several new features, this includes view-once messages, avatars, messaging yourself, reacting with emojis, creating polls, 2GB file sharing, transferring your chat history and many more. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp now has full end-to-end encryption

A lot of Malaysians use WhatsApp as their messaging and SMS replacement app. In the wake of a number of security issues, WhatsApp have finally finished their encryption project to help secure your messaging in everything that you do on the platform with full end-to-end encryption.

For now, the most tangible difference will be a lock indicator showing your info has been encrypted but on a more global scale it means that third-party users and even WhatsApp themselves cannot read your messages. To make sure you have this feature update your WhatsApp app to the latest version. Check out the details at the WhatsApp site or see what they had to say about it.

"The idea is simple: when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to. No one can see inside that message. Not cybercriminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. Not even us. End-to-end encryption helps make communication via WhatsApp private – sort of like a face-to-face conversation."


Apple iPad mini with Retina Display (iPad mini 2) vs Apple iPad mini

When the Apple iPad mini first came out, it featured the slim bezels and narrower thin looks currently being used by the Apple iPad Air giving the mini the advantage in terms of design. At the time, many users were wondering why the Apple iPad mini didn't have a Retina screen, with many guessing that this and other features would come in the next generation of iPad mini touchscreen tablets. Well, they were right as the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display or iPad mini 2 packs a much denser pixel density and higher resolution screen. It also offers several hardware upgrades, but do these additional features make the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display the better choice? Should you buy the Aple iPad mini with Retina Display even though you may already have an Apple iPad mini? Read our comparison between the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display vs the Apple iPad mini for a full analysis on what your choice should be.

Lining up both the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display next to the Apple iPad mini shows that both are identical in terms of design. The initial slim bezel and narrow look have not been changed. However, at 7.2mm thin, the original iPad mini is actually thinner than the iPad mini with Retina Display, which is 7.5mm thin. It is also lighter as the iPad mini weighs in at 308g compared to the iPad mini with Retina Display which weighs 331g. Other measuerments like height and width remain the same though. While the iPad mini with Retina Display is heavier and thicker, it is still a very lightweight and easy to carry about tablet. The only discernible difference is the Retina Display which offers a much higher 324 ppi pixel density than the 162 ppi pixel density of the original iPad mini. On the Retina Display screen images, text and video are sharper, clearer and just pop more than the other 7.9-inch screen despite the 768 x 1024 pixel resolution screen on the iPad mini already being quite sharp and clear already.

While thicker and heavier the overall design of the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display remains the same except for the Retina Display

A quick look at our Technave.com comparison tool reveals that the new Apple iPad mini with Retina Display now has a faster 1.3GHz dual-core Cyclone processor with Apple A7 chipset and quad-core PowerVR G6430 graphics. An additional M7 coprocessor helps the 64-bit A7 chipset handle all the accelerometer and other sensor data, which helps make the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display more energy efficient. Graphics-wise the PowerVR G6430 is a lot more powerful and compatible with OpenGL ES 3.0 for even more detailed graphics. Granted, there aren't many games or apps which are both 64-bit and use OpenGL ES 3.0 but this will change soon as more apps like this appear. In comparison the iPad mini only uses a dual-core A5 chipset which is 5 generations older than the A7 processor in the iPad mini with Retina display. In addition, the iPad mini with Retina Display packs in 1GB of RAM and 16GB to 128GB of storage while the iPad mini just has 512MB of RAM and 16GB storage options (the Malaysia store currently has the iPad mini in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options, but this could change when the official pricing comes out). Connectivity has also been improved with a better dual-antenna MIMO design (faster and better wiFi) and even more LTE bands for the iPad mini with Retina Display. Other specs like the 5MP rear camera have not changed but the iPad mini with Retina Display can do 3X zoom which the iPad mini cannot. Like the Apple iPad Air, the iPad mini with Retina Display also does not have a Touch ID fingerprint scanner.

The most obvious tech spec differences between the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display and Apple iPad mini are highlighted above

Since the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display has the same tech specs as the Apple iPad Air, it offers similar Geekbench 3 scores of around 2643 while the Apple iPad mini chugs along at a mere 496. This easily makes the iPad mini with Retina Display more than 5x more powerful than the iPad mini. If benchmarks aren't your thing, a simpler way of putting it is that on the iPad mini with the Retina Display it only takes seconds to load an app which would take minutes on the iPad mini. Both tablets are relatively lag free but the hardware on the iPad mini with Retina Display is clearly faster and more capable. Battery life is more or less the same at more than 10 hours, perhaps because the iPad mini with Retina Display packs a larger battery. More exhaustive battery tests have yet to be done but the iPad mini with Retina Display still has a few more minutes battery life than the iPad mini.

The performance for the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display is nearly identical with the Apple iPad Air

While we have yet to get official pricing for the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display, the Malaysia pricing of the Apple iPad mini 16GB WiFi version has gone down by RM50 from RM999 to RM949. Currently the US pricing for the 2 Apple iPad mini tablets is $299 (RM952) for the 16GB Apple iPad mini WiFi version and $399 (RM1270) for the 16GB Apple iPad mini with Retina Display WiFi version. This could mean that the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display will be priced at RM1249 or RM1299 for a nearly RM350 price difference between the two tablets. This price could change either higher or lower but we don't expect to see the official price until the end of November 2013 or the end of 2013.

With the current RM949 price of the Apple iPad mini, the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display is expected to cost about RM300 to RM350 more

Looking at the comparisons above it seems like a nobrainer. If you are choosing between the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display and the Apple iPad mini, the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display is clearly the better option. You only pay about RM300 to RM350 more for a more powerful and up-to-date tablet with more memory that is future proofed for 64-bit apps and OpenGL ES 3.0 games. Even if you already have the Apple iPad mini, we also recommend an upgrade to the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display. While the newer tablet is thicker and heavier you get a much faster tablet with a much better display and nearly the same ease of use and portability. The WiFi on the newer tablet is also faster and you have even better LTE compatibility than before, making the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display well worth the extra amount of money you pay for it.


WhatsApp now has quick links for calls, to support secure encrypted video calling for up to 32 people soon

The Meta-owned messaging platform, WhatsApp has now gotten a new feature that is similar to FaceTime where users can share a link to start a call with a single tap. Moreover, the messaging platform will also soon get secure encrypted video calling for up to 32 people.

Shared by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on his official Facebook page, the new call links feature will be rolling out to users beginning this week. As for the secure video call encryption, no rollout date has been given just yet, with Zuckerberg only saying that the feature is currently being tested by WhatsApp.

The call link feature in particular is quite interesting as it is similar to the one introduced by Apple on FaceTime in iOS 15. The introduction of the feature itself was seen as Apple trying to compete with the Zoom app which was ubiquitous during the height of the pandemic.

As for WhatsApp’s upcoming secure video call encryption feature for up to 32 people, it sure is handy for meetings and group discussions. As of right now, users can only make audio calls with a number of users with WhatsApp.

So, what do you guys think of these new features coming to WhatsApp? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


WhatsApp now hides your online status from people who are not in your contacts

WhatsApp is now one step further to protect its users. The messaging platform will now hide everyone's online status from strangers by default. With the latest update, people who are not in your contacts will not get to know if you're online or when you were last online.

The other thing that WhatsApp want to protect its users from is commercial interest. WABetaInfo has revealed that third-party applications regularly abuse the online status of WhatsApp users. By adjusting the default settings, third-party apps can no longer perform these practices.

Besides this feature, WhatsApp had also released another one that lets users set the time frame for the messages to disappear. Users can set the messages to be auto-deleted within 24 hours, seven days or 90 days. If you wonder how it works, you can check out this article in which we explained the steps.

What do you think about this new thing that WhatsApp implemented? Leave a comment to let us know your opinion and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news.


WhatsApp now lets admins delete messages sent by group participants

WhatsApp is currently rolling out a new feature for its group chat that gives administrators the power to delete messages sent by their group participants. The ability will remove the message for everyone in the group, essentially enabling for better moderation in group chats against unwanted messages.

First spotted by WaBetaInfo inside the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.22.1.7 on 30 July 2022, it seems that the new moderation tool has passed its beta phase and now available for some users. As shared by Amanz, some WhatsApp users in Malaysia have already gotten the new feature and it is now gradually being rolled out to all users globally.

The feature itself works similar to the existing delete message feature for your sent messages on WhatsApp, whereby you’d be asked on whether to ‘delete for everyone’. If you’re an admin and has selected the option to delete a message from your group’s participants, WhatsApp will give a pop-up message saying that as an admin, you are deleting the said participant’s message for everyone in the chat and that the participant will see that you’ve deleted their message.

Furthermore, once the message is deleted, the text bubble for that particular message will say that ‘You deleted this message as an admin’. For the rest of the group participants, they will still see a text bubble telling that the message has been deleted.

While the feature is definitely welcomed to fight against spam or offensive messages in group chats, it can admittedly be abused by the group admin. Well, for all you group admins out there, please use this power responsibly okay when you get the update!

What do you guys think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest trending tech news such as this.


WhatsApp now lets group admins delete anyone's messages in the latest beta

WhatsApp has been actively bringing more new features to group chats. This time, the platform gets spotted with one that allows group admins to delete any messages for everyone. It is already available for the beta testers, as discovered by WABetaInfo, and it's just a matter of time before it gets pushed out to all.

The feature called 'Admin Delete' aims to help group admins better moderate conversations that can involve up to 256 people. Beta testers who have access to it can delete any recent message from a group in which they are an admin. There will be a "delete for everyone" option in the delete menu popover for them to perform the action. After the message gets deleted, group members will receive a notification that shows a particular group admin removed the message.

In previous updates, WhatsApp users received the privilege to adjust the visibility of their "Last Seen" status on a contact-by-contact basis, plus a way to silently leave group chats without all the group members knowing it. It's unsure when this new one will get released in the stable version, but we'll let you know once we receive the latest update.

What do you think about this new WhatsApp feature? Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts about it, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech reports.


WhatsApp now lets users react to messages with ANY emoji

Previously, we reported that WhatsApp is planning to allow users to react to messages with more than just the designated six emojis. Well, it looks like the Meta-owned messaging platform has been true to its words as WhatsApp just announced that you now can react to messages with ANY emojis!

Shared on its official Twitter account, WhatsApp said that since a majority of users have asked for the feature, it is now starting to roll out all emoji reactions on Android and iOS. In the post, WhatsApp shared a few screenshots of users tweeting about wanting more emoji reaction options.

The messaging platform then happily announced that users are now given the option to react with every single emoji. WhatsApp then asserted that users are now free to ‘feel more’ and ‘express’ themselves with the new feature.

Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg also chimed in regarding the new feature on his Facebook account, confirming that WhatsApp is indeed rolling out the ability to use any emoji as a reaction. He also listed six of his favourite emojis; one of which includes the Robot Face emoji that may be in reference to all the memes about him being an android in disguise. Or was it a Freudian slip? :P

If you haven’t received the update yet, worry not as it is currently being rolled out to all users on iOS and Android. It should be available to all in the coming weeks.

So, what do you guys think of this new feature? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest trending news!


WhatsApp now requires biometric authentication to log on to WhatsApp Web

In the new update, WhatsApp will start to require users to unlock with biometrics when using WhatsApp Web. The new feature is said to add extra security to the web version of the chat platform. Other than that, it is also stated that WhatsApp won't be getting the data of your fingerprint and face.

From now on, users who want to connect their devices with WhatsApp Web will need to go through a pre-biometric authentication after scanning the QR code. The feature will be coming to both iOS and Android users. It is also said that the feature is enabled by default. To disable it, users will have to disable the biometric authentication in the smartphone's setting.

Today we’re starting to roll out a new security feature for WhatsApp Web and Desktop: face and fingerprint unlock when linking devices. WhatsApp does not see your face or fingerprint data. Chats for your onlyhttps://t.co/qR3zsexzfj pic.twitter.com/Ei5G35MPpA

WhatsApp has faced backlashes for its privacy policy update earlier as it was accused of sharing users' data with Facebook. However, the chat platform has later claimed that the new privacy policy does not allow them to retrieve users' private messages nor share them with other platforms. Therefore, is releasing a new security feature the way for WhatsApp to tell users that they value users' data?

Let us know what you think about this new feature on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates on apps' new features.


WhatsApp now testing voice message transcription for iOS

In Malaysia, a lot of WhatsApp users like to send voice messages instead of text messages. That's not always good, especially if it's an important discussion and you want to keep a record. But what if you can transcribe the voice message?

According to WABetaInfo, that's a feature that WhatsApp has been working on. This is already possible for Android users with the help of third-party apps, but WhatsApp is looking to embed the function directly into its app. The company wants to enable the feature for iOS users, so the messages will be sent to Apple's servers instead of WhatsApp or Facebook. Of course, the feature is optional and iOS will ask for permission before enabling it.

Once users have the feature turned on, there will be a new "Transcript" section. This is where you will find the transcripts for voice messages, complete with timestamps for easy records. Also, transcribed messages are saved to the device's local storage. Moreover, WhatsApp plans to add this feature to its Android app, but there is no news about its progress yet.

As you can tell, this is a pretty niche feature. However, it can potentially be very useful for people who communicate with businesses or other companies via voice messages on WhatsApp. But what do you think, is this a feature you would find useful? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


WhatsApp now won't limit functions if you haven't accepted the privacy policy temporarily

Previously, there was much news about WhatsApp limiting some functions if the user didn't choose to agree with the new privacy policy. This includes account deactivation if the user is inactive but it seems that the team is backtracking on that. So even if you didn't accept it, you won't be limited by some functions.

Supposedly taking place after 15 May 2021, this was confirmed by Facebook that they have changed their minds but it's just temporary. Although WhatsApp will not immediately delete the user's account after 120 days, the pop-up reminder will still appear. If the new privacy policy is still not accepted after several weeks, it will only restrict one certain core function which was not mentioned.

According to WhatsApp, the majority of users have accepted the new privacy policy already. However, the team have faced a couple of challenges around the world such as India demanding them to retract the policy. Germany also banned WhatsApp for collecting data and even the update is not released yet in Turkey. WhatsApp is currently appealing to these government bodies in explaining the policy is meant for businesses.

If you haven't accepted WhatsApp's new privacy policy yet, you might as well do so because there is a good chunk of your friends and family members using WhatsApp. Stay safe and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


WhatsApp preparing to let users mute videos before sharing and bringing a new "Read Later" feature

The team behind WhatsApp continues putting effort into the chat platform by developing even more new features. Last month, features such as the "always mute" option and a new storage management tool have been widely rolled out to users. It was also rumoured that "disappearing messages" could soon arrive as well. Now, several new things are spotted again including muting videos before sharing and a new "Read Later" feature.

As discovered in WhatsApp 2.20.207.2 beta for Android, users might be offered the ability to mute a video before sharing with a person or posting it as a status update. A screenshot has appeared showing that a speaker button is located beside the duration and size of the video for users to mute it before sharing.

Other than that, the WhatsApp 2.20.130.16 beta for iPhone is also hinting that the existing "Archived Chats" could soon be replaced with a new "Read Later" feature. The feature would do the same thing by letting users archive the chats. In the "Read Later" section, users can also unarchive multiple chats and there's also the "Edit Archive Settings" in the works.

Let us know what you think about these upcoming WhatsApp features on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more latest app updates.


WhatsApp releases a standalone native app on Windows that works without being linked to your phone

Popular messaging platform WhatsApp recently released a new native app on Windows that no longer requires users to link their phone to send, receive and sync messages. Available for download on the Microsoft Store, WhatsApp has also shared that the Windows app just ‘graduated’ from beta to a final release on the OS.

With the native app, WhatsApp users on Windows no longer need to download the platform’s web-based desktop app or access the messaging service from their web browsers. Moreover, given it is native to Windows, the overall experience would be smoother and more responsive.

According to WhatsApp's official website, the advantages of the native app include increased reliability and speed, the ability to message and receive notifications even when the users’ phone is offline and a more refined design that’s optimised for the OS. Indeed, the the redesigned native app has a cleaner interface compared to the previous versions of the app, though the overall design looks similar.

Moreover, WhatsApp also announced that a desktop app that’s native is also currently in development for Apple's macOS. For early access, you can download the beta programme of the app for Mac here.

So, what do you guys think of the WhatsApp native app on Windows and the upcoming one coming to macOS? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave fore more trending tech news such as this.


Apple iPad mini with Retina display now available in Malaysia from RM1279

While some rumour sites have said that the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display could be launching in Malaysia on 12 December 2013, Apple have already made the 2nd generation Apple iPad mini 2 or Apple iPad mini with Retina Display available for Malaysia from RM1279 on the Apple Store. The Apple iPad mini with Retina Display brings a number of major improvements to the table which include Apple's new 64-bit A7 chipset and processor, 1GB of RAM and the aforementioned Retina Display. Check out the full pricing for the iPad mini with Retina Display below but if you still want the 1st generation Apple iPad mini, it is available from RM949:

If you're still wondering whether to get the Apple iPad mini or the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display, check out our previous comparison article about it.


WhatsApp releases several new features for iOS including when someone mentions you in a group

WhatsApp is going to bring some new features to iOS users. The new features include the app will let you know when someone mentions you in a group chat and a profile photo will appear on the lock screen.

According to sources, the new version 22.1.71 of WhatsApp will differentiate notification in a group chat. It means that this new feature will acknowledge you when someone replies to you in a group chat by sliding from left to right in a message and '@' your name. If this change still doesn't happen to you don't worry because currently, WhatsApp will roll out this function to all beta users then everyone.

On the other hand, the company also started testing profile photo notifications on the iPhone lock screen which are the other apps already implemented such as Twitter. With that, whenever you received a new notification on the app then the name of the contact and profile photo will appear.

Well, do you like the new features that are going to roll out soon? What function do you wish WhatsApp to provide in the future? Let us know your comments below and be sure to stay tuned for more tech news on TechNave.com.


WhatsApp releasing new 'Keep in Chat' feature to let you keep that precious message forever

By now, you should know that you can send Disappearing Messages on WhatsApp. This extra layer of privacy is a way to protect messages from falling into the wrong hands, but sometimes, we would like to keep that occasional voice note.

With that, the WhatsApp team is introducing "Keep in Chat", so that you can safely keep that text you need for later. The team said that if you’ve sent the message, it’s your choice whether others in the chat can keep it for later. The saved Messages on your WhatsApp will be noted with a bookmark icon, which is organized by chat, in the Kept Messages folder.

To make this work, the sender will be notified when someone keeps a message, and the sender will be able to veto the decision. If you’ve decided others can’t keep your message, your decision is final. No one else can keep it and the message will be deleted when the timer expires.

This way you have the final say on how messages you send are protected. The WhatsApp team hopes people enjoy this new update and the flexibility to keep the necessary messages. This will roll out globally over the next few weeks.


WhatsApp reportedly to introduce a subscription service for business accounts

A subscription plan for WhatsApp users? That doesn't sound like a good idea but thankfully, it's a feature offered to business accounts. It's not available right now, as it is now under development by the WhatsApp team so here's what we know about it so far.

According to the ever-reliable WABetaInfo.com, the subscription plan for WhatsApp Business will have additional features. One of the features includes an additional linked device pairing up to 10 in total. However, WhatsApp Business users can choose not to opt for this if they feel having the standard four linked devices is enough.

Besides that, this is what WABetaInfo has found out so far and no other features have been discovered yet. On the other hand, it's also unknown if the subscription fee would be a monthly or yearly plan. Standard WhatsApp accounts won't also have this special treatment.

This subscription feature for WhatsApp Business is actually quite useful especially in Malaysia since many companies are utilising it. But would you use it if you're one of them? We will definitely keep an eye on this so stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.