Although WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app after Facebook, it still does not have an app for tablets like the iPad or Nexus 7. The app has received many many updates and new features ever since it was purchased by Facebook at the beginning of the year for $16 billion, however a separate version for tablets have not been released or mentioned. But Facebook is apparently not ignoring those requests.
According to a WhatsApp employee interviewed by German website Bild.de, Facebook is working on a ton of features for WhatsApp in order to compete with Apple iMessage. The employee firstly told Bild that recent downtimes and issues WhatsApp has been getting is due to Zuckerberg pressuring WhatsApp developers to add VoIP calls as a new feature. WhatsApp will also receive other features such as Night Mode, SnapChat-like system, and a bug reporter.
- VoIP calls: Free calls between WhatsApp users are to be introduced with the next version of the app. This function could be already activated within the next few weeks. WhatsApp supposedly does not even need a fast data connection for that. The app calls allegedly work even with an EDGE data connection. Video chats, like those offered by Skype, are not currently in the planning.
- Night mode: Many users wish to have a “night theme”, a setting with which you can comfortably chat at night without being blinded by the bright light of the display.
- Photos with an expiry date: Like the competitor Snapchat, WhatsApp now also wants to introduce the possibility of providing sent photos with an expiry date. The sender can thus decide how long the receiver is able to view a photo.
- Simpler bug reporting: If a user detects a bug in the program, he will be able to easily report this in one of the upcoming versions. WhatsApp takes a screenshot of the bug, which is then automatically uploaded to the system operators.
According to the employee, WhatsApp will not receive a client for PC but they are working on a version optimized for tablets. The insider also claims that Facebook is not sharing any type of data with WhatsApp stating that “Facebook doesn’t see what ends up on our servers.”