WhatsApp Inc. runs an open beta testing program on Google Play that allows you to get a flavor of features that might soon be added to the official messaging app. The latest beta update to version 2.16.189 has brought with it a couple of exciting new functionalities — callback and voicemail — to the calling feature.
If you’re a using the latest beta version of the app and try to call one of your buddies, then at first you woudn’t notice any changes to the dialer screen. But if your — so called buddy — doesn’t pick up the call or rejects it then you are sure to notice a new after-call screen, with a slew of new buttons and options.
The first one being — callback. Now if you’re buddy doesn’t pickup your call the first time, then you now call him back using the dedicated ‘callback’ button that has been added to the after-call screen.
And then if you’re tired of calling your buddy, you’ll notice another new feature(button) addition to the after-call screen. Now that microphone-engraved button is the ‘Voicemail’ button as it says so, but what exactly does it do. Now instead of going back to the chat and recording a voice message, you can directly record and leave a voice message for your friend from the after-call screen.
In addition to this, you now also have another new font to type your message in. You can now add three grave accent symbols(`) before and after the message to send it out in ‘plain text’ format — which will remove any and all formatting from the message. This is an example to show you how ‘plain text’ works and will look when you send a message.
“` hello world! this is the Tech Portal“`
hello world! this is the Tech Portal
Other formatting options that are available in WhatsApp are bold which can be used by adding asterisk(*) before and after the text, italics which is used by adding an underscore(_), and strikethrough which is activated by adding a tilde sign(~).
WhatsApp previously has also added the functionality to reply to a specific message in a chat window. You can simply long press on a message you want to reply to and simply hit the reply button on the top. The message will then appear in your textbox and you can add your reply to the same. This feature has now been added to the stable version and is available for use to all.
Some users have sighted a vague video calling button in the previous beta release of the messaging app, but it was non-functional. The feature was then been removed soon enough via an update as it wasn’t market ready.
The callback and voicemail functionality, however, are still in beta and should make their way to the stable release of the app very shortly. If you’re interested in becoming a beta tester and finding about latest iterations made to the app, then head to the Google Play Store on your mobile. Scroll to the bottom of the app page and select the “I’m In” option to become a beta tester.
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