New WhatsApp update revamps Status, introduces Snapchat-like Stories

WhatsApp is looking to give fierce competition to Snapchat with its new update. The facebook-owned messaging platform, WhatsApp is rolling out a new update for iOS, Android and Windows Phone worldwide. With the new WhatsApp update, the popular messenger service is aiming to completely change the way you update your ‘Status’ on WhatsApp.

Celebrating its 8th birthday, WhatsApp is introducing WhatsApp Status, a new tab which allows you to use a photo or a video or a GIF as your status. Once posted, your ‘Status’ will disappear after 24 hours. 

You will have the control over who can see your updates and who can not, under privacy settings. WhatsApp claims that your status updates are end-to-end encrypted. A welcome relief for those whose major concern is security.

Jan Koum, CEO of WhatsApp, writes:

We are excited to announce that, coinciding with WhatsApp’s 8th birthday on February 24, we are reinventing the status feature. Starting today, we are rolling out an update to status, which allows you to share photos and videos with your friends and contacts on WhatsApp in an easy and secure way. Yes, even your status updates are end-to-end encrypted.

It is obvious that the new WhatsApp Status is not one-of-a-kind. We all know that Snapchat is based on the same concept. 

The facebook-owned app, Instagram launched Instagram Stories last year. Hike Messenger, an instant messaging service widely popular in India, also brought ‘stories’ within its app, replacing status updates.

Although there are a lot of other apps offering the similar feature but what makes WhatsApp stand out of the crowd is its end-to-end encryption. 

The new WhatsApp update is certainly a bad news for Snapchat. As per Snapchat’s recent IPO filing, the company’s growth rate faced a decline of 82% falling from 17.2 percent in the second quarter to 3.2 % percent in the last quarter. Snapchat experienced this decline soon after the introduction of Instagram Stories.

As far as I know, the update has already started rolling out in European countries and will expand to rest of the world very soon. The update will be made available on Google Play Store, App Store and Microsoft Store.

Some interesting facts:

• The original idea behind WhatsApp was to let your friends and contacts know what you’re up to. Earlier versions of WhatsApp had only ‘Statuses’. Messaging was added a few months later.
• In between WhatsApp’s and Instagram’s competition, Snap Inc. is preparing to go public and will start trading shares in the month of March.
• WhatsApp currently has more than 1 billion monthly users worldwide. And more than 100 million voice calls are made every day on WhatsApp.

So, what are your views on the new WhatsApp update? Have you received the update? Do you like it? Do you think Snapchat will get affected by it? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. And don’t forget to share this news with your friends.

Source: WhatsApp and TechCrunch