WhatsApp for Android: Latest Version Brings on New Features- Shared Link History, Link Copying and More

Mar 08, 2016 12:13 PM EST

WhatsApp has brought on some new features for its latest version, seeking to enhance the overall experience of Android users. Such new features came days after the official beta tester program for the app was launched.

The official beta tester program is expected to bring certain advantages to members, enabling them to have an early experience of what will be further incorporated into the app. These include automatic delivery of updates and the ability to the untrusted sources setting to remain unchanged.

Primarily, every series of conversation on WhatsApp includes a Media screen that functions by collecting all videos, photos and other contents, which are exchanged in the chat box. Such tab is used to browse and share contents with the user's peers with no difficulty; it can also be seen as a more convenient means of finding important documents and files.

Now, the latest version features a shared links history tab that holds all the shared links that are sent and received in a one-on-one chat or a group chat, arranged in the opposite chronological order.

For every link on the tab, it will come with a rich preview upper part and a lower part filled with messages, which initially contained the message where the link was exchanged.

By tapping on the preview at the upper part, the user can quickly open the link in the browser. Similarly, tapping the bottom part will direct the user to the message that they can share or delete.

By using such feature, users can have a brief look at the links they have received or shared. They can also effortlessly look for an article they may have either preferred to go through again or share one more time.

As for copying links, the latest version of WhatsApp will enable Android users to easily copy a URL without the hassle of copying the entire message content. Prior to this new version, users would need to tap and hold the entire message where the URL was included before being able to copy the link or share it with someone.

Also, WhatsApp’s new version has also considered the clearing of chat messages. There are times when users have the need to delete old messages as a means of decluttering. Now, users are being handed with several options regarding clearing a chat. These include erasing all chat contents, removing only messages older than 30 days and deleting messages that had been saved for six months or more.

Users who prefer to retain their starred messages after a planned chat clearing are given the option to do so by using a checkbox.

All of these new features have been made available on WhatsApp version 2.12.486. Users can get their hands on the latest version through the APK Mirror or use the Android beta program as a tester.