Summary
- WhatsApp is testing a new threaded reply feature to organize and simplify conversations, especially in group chats.
- The feature, currently in beta (version 2.25.7.7), groups replies to a specific message under an expandable view, eliminating the need to scroll back and track replies.
- Threaded replies are planned to function across all chat types (one-on-one, groups, communities, and channels), aiming to improve conversation clarity and flow.
WhatsApp is one of the least-convoluted messaging platforms on the market, with everything from sending simple messages and making calls to updating your status and joining communities being quite intuitive.
Now, in an attempt to further refine the application and make it easier for users to keep chat replies in check, WhatsApp seems to be testing iMessage and Slack-like threaded replies — soon after Google Messages was spotted working on threaded replies for photos and videos.
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Google Messages may soon get threaded replies for your photos and videos
A better way of interacting with media
Threaded replies aren’t live yet, but they’ve been spotted in action in WhatsApp beta version 2.25.7.7, as highlighted by WABetaInfo. These aren’t threaded in the way Reddit handles comments, where you see all connected replies stringed together with a thread. Rather, WhatsApp’s system essentially groups all replies to a specific message under a new dedicated expandable view.
The view pops into action when you tap a message reply, highlighting the original message, followed by all subsequent replies. This essentially eliminates the need to manually track back, considering that the original message can have multiple replies, especially in active group chats.
Staying on topic could soon be seamless
Source: WABetaInfo
Once available, threaded replies should function across one-on-one chats, group conversations, communities, and channels. In individual chats, the dedicated view, of course, will only show replies that you and the person at the other end have sent to a specific message. In group chats, however, the threaded view will group together all replies from participants for you to follow along an organized conversation structure.
Threaded replies are still in development. WhatsApp beta version 2.25.7.7 didn’t surface the feature for me, so your mileage, too, may vary.
The development comes soon after the messaging giant was spotted working on a privacy feature that would let users answer video calls with their camera turned off, similar to functionality offered by video conferencing services like Zoom and Google Meet.
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