WhatsApp is reportedly working on status update notifications that will alert you when certain contacts post an update that you haven’t seen yet. For those unfamiliar with the feature, status updates on WhatsApp allow users to share text, photos, videos, and GIFs with their contact list. Stories that expire after 24 hours, like Instagram or Snapchat stories. It’s a handy way to give your loved ones a peek into your daily life without filling up your chat topics.
However, due to the constant stream of notifications coming to many applications, status updates from your loved ones can easily go unnoticed. WhatsApp seems to be aware of this problem and is looking for ways to make sure you don’t miss the highlights of your circle of friends.
WhatsApp wants to alert you when a status changes
The new notification system has been spotted in the latest WhatsApp for Android beta (version 2.24.8.13) by WABetaInfo. Although this feature is not yet available to beta testers, the code gives hints that users can get this feature. A notification when people they set as “favorites” post a new status update that they haven’t yet viewed.
This feature is a sequel to another related feature discovered previously; This feature allows users to manually send notifications to specific people when they share a status, presumably for updates that you actually want people to see.
Details such as whether notifications will be sent immediately or after some time if the situation is not checked still remain unclear. Also there is this Privacy considerations regarding who can mention you for automatic ping.
But the main goal seems to be to add a status-specific notification layer to complement WhatsApp’s existing alerts for new messages, calls, and groups. Therefore, you are less likely to miss important moments with your loved ones.
