Facebook-owned WhatsApp is a popular Messaging Application for mobile users. It is well loved by fans and is being constantly updated by the company to ensure that users receive the best possible experience while using the app. Reports of yet another update being developed for the chatting application emerged online on Monday, July 17, which is a major addition to the app and would likely enhance user experience.
WhatsApp will allow users to watch YouTube videos in-app
According to the new report, the messaging app may soon receive an update which will allow users to watch a YouTube video, which may have been linked to them in a chat, inside the application itself.
Previously, if a YouTube link was shared inside a chat, users who tapped on the link would be redirected to the YouTube app on their handsets, from where they could view the video. After watching the video, the user would then have to re-navigate back to the WhatsApp chat to continue the conversation.
With this newly added feature, users who click on the YouTube link shared inside the WhatsApp chat would be able to view the video inside the app itself, without having to open the YouTube app. The video will open as a small screen on the top hand corner of the phone and users will be able to continue chatting while the video plays.
Some interesting features that are also being added along with this YouTube video playback option are the ability to expand the small video screen that pops up when clicked on the link.
Users may also choose to view the video in fullscreen mode if they so desire. An ongoing video may also be temporarily hidden by the user if they wish to read the messages inside the app better. However, backing out of the chat where the video link was posted will stop the video from playing as well.
The YouTube feature is currently being tested
The feature is in the testing phase as of now, therefore many of the final features may well differ from what is being reported now. There is currently no indication when the update may be rolled out and the testing is being exclusively performed on iOS handsets, which indicated that it is supported on iPhones for now.
Currently, the feature is compatible with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S+, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7.
It was not revealed whether the feature would also be made available for the Android and Windows Phone handsets as well in the future when it does release. However, it seems certain that WhatsApp will soon have this feature where users will be able to enjoy the YouTube video inside the messaging application itself.
