WhatsApp update brings dark mode to desktop and adds new stickers for iPhone and Android

The update makes WhatsApp more competitive to other apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger

Reuters (Reuters)

WhatsApp has announced five new features to its messaging app, which the company says will be rolled out to users over the coming weeks.

The updates will be available on iPhone, Android devices, and on the web.

The Facebook-owned messaging service will be bringing out new animated sticker packs, similar to those that already exist on Facebook Messenger.

It’s also making it easier to add new contacts, via QR codes. These square bar codes can be scanned by your smartphone’s camera in order to quickly access information or perform tasks.

Other apps, including Snapchat and Facebook Messenger, already have this function.

The other two updates include a dark mode for WhatsApp Web and Desktop users – after the company launched the feature on iOS and Android in March.

This now means that all users, across all platforms, can turn off the lights while messaging their contacts, and follows Facebook testing a similar aesthetic.

Dark mode is easier on users’ eyes when texting at night, and phones with OLED screens should see an increase in battery life – as they can turn off the pixels completely to conserve power.

The last major update is that WhatsApp is expending its video call functionality. With eight people on a video chat, participants can press and hold to make one person’s screen fill your phone.

“We also added a video icon in group chats of 8 or less, so you can easily start a group video call with 1-tap.” the company wrote in its blog post.

The last, minor update comes for KaiOS users, which is a Linux-based operating system usually reserved for budget smartphones.

These devices often have fewer features, but come at a lower cost than flagship devices.

These users will now be able to share status updates that disappear after 24 hours, a feature that’s been available to iPhone and Android users for months.