WhatsApp for Android is currently in the process of developing a new privacy-related feature for the management of synced contacts. This feature aims to enhance the user experience by allowing greater control over how address book contacts are synced between devices.
The new feature is expected to add functionality to the existing multi-account feature, which enables users to use two WhatsApp accounts on the same device without the need for parallel apps. With this update, users will have the option to choose how they want their address book contacts to be synchronized.
According to reports from feature tracker WABetaInfo, the contact syncing feature will give users the ability to manage the synchronization of their address book across different devices. This feature was first spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.24.18.14 and is set to provide users with the option to select which contacts they want to sync to their phone for each account.
The new feature comes with a fresh UI design, featuring the descriptor “Keep your contacts separate for each account.” In addition to contact syncing management, users will also be able to manage WhatsApp contacts from their linked devices. Despite being in development, the feature tracker notes that the new shortcut is not yet available to beta testers through the Google Play Beta program.
It is anticipated that the new contact syncing feature will be officially rolled out in a future update of WhatsApp for Android. However, it is important to keep in mind that not all features in development make it to the public version of the app. Alongside this new feature, WhatsApp for Android is also reportedly testing a feature that will allow users to clear their unread message count by marking all received messages as ‘read.’
WhatsApp aims to maintain feature parity across its iOS and Android apps, ensuring that users on both platforms have access to similar functionalities. As such, it is speculated that the ‘mark read’ feature currently in development for Android will also make its way to the iOS version of the app in the near future.
The development of the new contact syncing feature on WhatsApp for Android demonstrates the platform’s commitment to enhancing user privacy and control over their data. As technology continues to evolve, it is essential for messaging apps like WhatsApp to adapt and innovate to meet the changing needs of users.
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