WhatsApp gets picture-in-picture video calling feature

WhatsApp has rolled out two new features on its app. The picture-in-picture video calls – which was available to beta uses till now – has been rolled out for both Android and iOS users. The app allows users to minimize video calls and continue browsing through other messages. Android users will, however, have to wait as the feature has been made available only on the latest OS version, the 8.0 Oreo. iOS users have no such issue as it works on iOS 10 seamlessly. The feature was in test mode on Android since July but has been made available now.
The other feature allows users to have “text-only” updates to their status. Till now, users could only put videos or pictures as their status update with text overlaying wherever they found it convenient. The new version of stable WhatsApp (on Android, it’s v2.17.323; on iOS, it’s 2.17.52) lets users choose the background colour and add text to it. Though the text-only status updates are visible for 24 hours only. The feature was rolled out last month but is now widely available with the latest WhatsApp update.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that WhatsApp has started testing its business feature in India with online ticket booking service BookMyShow. According to news reports, BookMyShow is now sending confirmations for tickets booked on its website to users on WhatsApp.
Apart from BookMyShow, WhatsApp is also reportedly in talks with other companies such as cab aggregator Ola and hotel rooms aggregator OYO for its WhatsApp for Business programme. It might be possible that soon Ola will start sending its OTP messages and invoice via WhatsApp and same way OYO will start sending its booking conformations on WhatsApp.