Yes, we know that messaging apps like WhatApp have supplied us with near-instant communication, a level of contact that was unthinkable just a few years ago. But it’s also brought on having to deal with notifications, sometimes (usually) from groups with nothing better to do with their time than waste yours. That… could be about to change.
WABetaInfo, a site that regularly digs through upcoming builds of WhatsApp in order to digitally examine its entrails, all oracle-like, has spotted that there are two new functions on the way designed to mute the blabbermouths in your app. Called Silent mode and Vacation mode, the updates will offer users a lot more control over what they see on their phones.
Silent mode will be enabled by default and it’s just an addition to existing silencing options. Groups (or users) that you’ve muted will have their notifications killed as well, so there’s less FOMO-inducing anxiety derived from spotting them out the corner of your eye. That feature has reportedly started rolling out for Android already, with iOS up afterwards. If you’re suddenly seeing fewer notifications, now you know why.
Vacation mode, on the other hand, will keep archived, muted chats suppressed, even if they get new messages. That party happened six months ago. Stop. Posting! This feature will appear in WhatsApp’s notification settings when it launches and it looks a little something like… the image above. Vacation is based on Silent mode and is slated for eventual release on both Android and iOS.
There’s also an option coming to link an external account — Instagram specifically, for the moment — to a WhatsApp account. This seems to be more for WhatsApp Business, but mention has been found in the standard app as well. Users will be able to link an Insta account through the Profile menu, though exactly why that’s useful remains to be seen. Speculation is that it could be used for password recovery, or to share Instagram updates to WhatsApp users (if you’re a WhatsApp Business user). That feature’s also in the works at present, with no ETA in sight.
Source: WABetaInfo
