Rejoice fellows! WhatsApp has brought the text status back with its latest update for Android smartphones. Simply update your app to the latest version of the instant messaging application and you can have your beloved text status back. The company has also added a couple of other features including some brand new messaging shortcuts.
Okay so first things first. WhatsApp introduced Snapchat like status a few weeks ago — much to the public’s chagrin, who for the most part, did not appreciate that the company had taken away the text status we had grown to know and love over all these years. I personally don’t have anything against WhatsApp copying Snapchat and indeed, I found the new status to be a great way to spark off conversations with old contacts — However, even I found myself missing the simple, text-based status updates as well.
The company must have been a dilemma of sorts, as it obviously had put in quite a bit of work with the new status. On the other hand, it’s over a billion users wanted the old status back. It has now decided to give users the best of both worlds. Simply update your WhatsApp to its latest version via the Play Store and you will find yourself able to set text-based status as well as the Snapchat style, image/GIF/short video statuses.
To set a text status, simply go to the “About and phone number” section in settings and then pen down a new text status, or choose a default one — just like the old days!
WhatsApp has also decided to stick to the layout changes it made the last time around. The only noticeable difference is a brand new button for starting conversation near the right hand bottom of the screen. This is an addition that will be appreciated since the new status tab had made starting new conversation somewhat more tedious than earlier as you had to tap at least twice as compared to a single swipe earlier.
iOS users are expected to receive the same update soon, although no date for the same has been announced yet.
