WhatsApp Enhances Status Features with Likes and Private Mentions

WhatsApp has just introduced a range of improvements to its status update feature. The platform, owned by Meta, is introducing new features for both Android and iOS users, along with the functionality to express likes on status updates and to privately mention contacts. The like option allows users to show appreciation for a contact’s status by tapping a heart emoji. Through private mentions, users can tag individuals in their status updates, allowing those mentioned to reshare the status to their account while keeping the mentions concealed from other viewers. Similar capabilities are already available on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

In an announcement about the updates to the Status feature, WhatsApp confirmed the roll-out of these functionalities to all users. The like feature enables users to easily acknowledge their contacts’ status updates with a simple tap of the heart emoji, paralleling the way Instagram stories are liked. It is essential to recognize that the condition likes are private and will not feature a visible counter; only the user who created the status can view who has liked it within their shared status viewer list.

The newly introduced private mentions feature allows users to tag and mention their contacts discreetly in their status updates. The tagged contacts have the the choice to re-upload the status in their own style audience. This addition draws similarities with tagging friends in stories on Facebook and Instagram. However, mentions made through WhatsApp remain hidden, ensuring that they do not appear publicly on the status itself.

The latest advancements in WhatsApp's status offerings are being launched and will shortly become available to users everywhere. The company has confirmed plans for additional features for the Status and Updates tab in the forthcoming months.