Highlights :
- A new HD video sharing function has been added to WhatsApp for beta testers.
- Users must actively select the option since it is disabled by default.
- Additionally, WhatsApp is using the Material You design to update some of the UI.
Users will be able to exchange high-definition films on the well-known messaging service thanks to a feature that WhatsApp has started testing. The function, which allows users to exchange high-quality photographs, was recently handed out to beta testers and has been discovered on the most recent beta versions of WhatsApp for iOS and Android. The messaging app, which is owned by Meta, is also working on Material You-themed alerts for Android and iOS group chat improvements for profile photographs.
According to feature tracker WABetaInfo, users will be able to share high-quality movies after updating to WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.13.0.76 and WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.14.10. Videos shared on WhatsApp at the moment are compressed, reducing video quality, in an effort to improve network speed. When attaching a video, users will apparently have a choice between two different video quality settings.
When sharing a video, users will see a “HD” button in the preview window. Tapping the button will bring up a pop-up window asking if the user wants to send the video in Standard quality or HD. The app will also let users know that while standard quality is quicker to send and takes up less space on their smartphone, HD quality is clearer. It’s also important to note that, similar to the high-resolution image sharing feature, WhatsApp will automatically send standard quality videos by default; users must explicitly select the HD option if they want to share high-resolution videos. A little HD icon can be seen on the media preview in the chat window to indicate that videos and photos have been sent in HD quality.
After updating to the most recent version, users of WhatsApp for iOS and Android who are on the beta update channel should be able to exchange HD movies and photos. There is no information on when these features will be accessible to all users on the stable channel, though, as with all features that the business is testing.
In the meantime, WhatsApp is also enhancing how iOS groups display user profile icons. WhatsApp will display a user’s initials in place of a profile photo if they haven’t set one, making it simpler for users to recognise members of large groups. On the most recent Android beta, the messaging platform is also rolling out revised notifications with rounded corners; these Material You-themed changes are anticipated to come out to customers on the stable update channel in a future update.
