WhatsApp to add Dark mode, Advanced Search, Group Invite in the coming updates

Facebook-owned messenger app WhatsApp has been adding a slew of features lately on the Android and iOS platforms. The company has been testing the ‘group invitation’ feature in the TestFlight server, and now a report states that another feature is being tested on the same server which would be soon available in beta.

According to a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is testing a feature to improve chat search. The feature is called ‘Advanced Search’ which is an improved version of the app’s already available feature —Chat Search. The feature would have an added ‘Media’ window, which would allow users to search for photos, videos, GIFs, documents, etc.

Source: WABetaInfo

It essentially means that by using this feature, users can add a filter to find messages including multimedia content. The feature would also allow users to check their search history which can be deleted using the ‘Clear’ button, the report stated. The report also mentioned that users would be able to see a preview of the search, eliminating the need to open individual search results to see it.  Preview for voice messages is not yet available though.

Although the feature was spotted in the iOS beta version, it is not available for all beta users as the feature is still in the development stage and should be available in the next iOS update. Although the feature has not been seen in the Android beta version of the app, it is expected that WhatsApp would release the feature soon on Android as well. The company is also expected to release the ‘Group Invitation’ feature and the much awaited ‘dark mode’ which have been in the beta versions of the app. 

The company has already introduced a number of features this year which include using Touch ID and Face ID to open WhatsApp, replying to a group chat privately, adding stickers to edit photos and videos, using 3D Touch to preview WhatsApp status, among others .

Whatsapp is expected to add many new features this year, including viewing videos from the notification tray and automatically playing the next audio/voice message after you finish listening to the first one.