So far, you can only send text and voice messages with WhatsApp. But that will soon change, as WhatsApp plans to introduce video messages.
When launched, video messages can last a maximum of 60 seconds. That’s according to WABetainfo, which spotted this new feature coming in the latest betas of WhatsApp for Android (Beta 2.23.13.4) and iOS (Beta 23.12.0.71). In fact, the site had already discovered the first hints of the new feature in betas a while ago, but some beta testers can now try out video messages for the first time.
Beta testers can find out if video messages are already available to them by following these steps. In a chat, tap the microphone button in the chat bar. If the microphone icon changes to a video camera button, you can already record video messages.
When you send or receive a video message, you must enlarge it by tapping the video once if you want to listen to the sound as well. And if you want to send video messages, you need to ask your contacts to update their WhatsApp to the latest version so that they can receive video messages.
Are video messages really new?
Avid WhatsApp users will know that you can already send a video to your contacts in which you deliver a message. The difference with video messages is immediacy: you press the video button, record your message, release the button and immediately send your message. It’s much more convenient than recording a selfie video with your phone’s camera first and then sending it later in WhatsApp. Such a video message looks much more authentic than a “normal” video.
Video messages are also always end-to-end encrypted. However, note that they can be watched by the recipient as often as they want, and there is nothing stopping them from recording the screen video, saving it outside of WhatsApp, and forwarding it to other people. This is something to consider if you think video messages are private. The main limitation is that video messages cannot be transferred directly to WhatsApp.
Currently, not all beta testers can use video messages yet. WABetainfo assumes that WhatsApp will enable the new feature for more and more testers in the coming weeks, as that is how it normally works. When all WhatsApp users will be able to send video messages is unknown.
This article was originally published in German on PCWelt.de
