WhatsApp could soon introduce the ability to recall sent messages, easing the minds of people that regularly panic after sending texts by mistake. In 2016 Kenyans on twitter popularly known as KOT could not rest for a better part of the day after a screen short from one WhatsApp group -Embakasi Prayer Cell, went viral portraying what one member, Ochieng Ocholla popular known ‘Bro Ocholla’’ posted contrary to the groups agenda of the day or purpose.
Ironically, corporate organizations starting with the Kenya airways to Safaricom, Orange Mobile, Durex, and KFC all took advantage of the trending topic to reach out to the big audience online with attractive advertisements on their latest offers.
If only Bro Ocholla said it with SMS pic.twitter.com/2SVqd3mjtB
— Orange Kenya (@OrangeKenya) October 27, 2015
Bro Ocholla, we can fly you above Cloud Nine. Check out https://t.co/3Lk8IABL22 for great holiday offers. pic.twitter.com/jIrNbrQR2U
— Kenya Airways (@KenyaAirways) October 27, 2015
The long-awaited feature will mean that users can delete a message from the receiver’s phone if it is yet to be read. The delete function is currently being tested on the beta version of WhatsApp’s next update, along with the ability to edit send messages that haven’t been read.
Features are generally included in beta versions before making them into a full consumer release, although it is unclear when this might be.
As well as these edit tools, WhatsApp is also testing a new feature that could make it a lot easier to coordinate meeting a group of friends.
A new feature unique to WhatsApp is being tested that lets users send friends their moving location so that they can find one another more easily.
Called Live Location Tracking, it lets users show their movements to friends within a group chat. They can opt to share their moving position for a limited time of one, two or five minutes.
Tapping on “Show My Friends”, a map will appear where you will be able to see where are your friends. #hidden pic.twitter.com/PxRxcuqq3x
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) February 12, 2017
It builds on WhatsApp’s popular send your location feature that allows users to share their exact position at a given time.
WhatsApp users will probably have to manually turn it on in Settings, allaying privacy fears. It is currently being tested in the beta version of the messaging app’s next update, meaning that it could soon be released to all users, although no time frame has been announced.
Other features being tested in the beta include the ability to reply to status messages, as well as shaking you phone within a conversation to contact WhatsApp and report spam.
Zo gaat de nieuwe #WhatsApp eruitzien https://t.co/0Hdr4pC4aj #nieuws pic.twitter.com/c3pL5vcH3D
— Whatsappen.nl (@whatsappen) February 12, 2017
One of its biggest focuses recently has been to add live features that take it beyond text messaging, such as video calling. It also recently added the ability to edit pictures and draw on them, in a similar way to Snapchat.
