5 big WhatsApp changes

WhatsApp has many new features that are rolling out to customers or will do so in the near future, including AI improvements and augmented reality features.

The meta-owned company is one of the most significant messaging services in the world and is the preferred method of communication for many South Africans.

Prior to the release to the public, the company will first test its new features with beta testers to identify potential bugs before rolling them out to the public.

Data service WABetaInfo regularly looks at the latest Android, iOS and Web beta developments and features rolling out to the public.

The service was created in Silicon Valley by former Yahoo! employees Brian Acton and Jan Koum in 2009.

The service is often seen as a replacement for text messaging, with the service linked to a user’s phone number. Users are now able to send messages, voice notes, images and more.

It became the world’s biggest messaging app in 2025 and reached 2 billion users worldwide by February 2020.

It had become the primary means of international communication in the Americas, the Indian subcontinent, large parts of Europe and Africa.

The success of the group led to it being bought by Facebook (Meta today) in 2014 for $19 billion.

The service expanded to businesses in 2018, with companies now able to speak with WhatsApp clients more easily.

The company also started offering group and video calls in 2018.

Koum, who served as Chief Executive, quit the messaging service that year amid clashes with Facebook over the messaging service’s strategy.

He reportedly clashed with Facebook’s attempts to use WhatsApp’s data and weaken its encryption standards.

WhatsApp maintains that its data is encrypted meaning that it is only accessible to the users sending messages to each other.

With the 15-year-old service continuing to update itself, some of the most recent changes can be found below.

Augmented Reality

A recent update to WhatsApp on iOS saw the rollout of a new camera feature that allows users to enable augmented reality effects, backgrounds, and filters.

The feature is accessible via a wand icon within the camera view, which offers animated effects, facial expression alterations and customizable colour tones.

Features like “Touch Up Mode” for enhancing facial appearance and “Low Light Mode” for improved visibility in dim lighting are set to further personalise the video calling experience.

The feature is currently available to some users who install the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS, and it should roll out to more people over the coming weeks.

AI for business

In a recent beta for iOS, testers noticed that WhatsApp is testing AI integration for business accounts.

This will enable AI-powered replies to handle customer queries, provide product recommendations and share details such as pricing and inventory.

“This is particularly useful outside business hours. However, businesses can manually take over conversations at any time, while customers are informed about AI usage for transparency, with feedback helping refine the service over time,” said WABetaInfo.

“Additionally, WhatsApp introduces a Business Platform connection feature that allows businesses to manage accounts on both platforms, sharing up to six months of chat history (excluding group chats) to ensure continuity during the transition.”

Meta AI

Sticking with AI, a beta for iOS also showed that WhatsApp is working on a new shortcut for accessing Meta AI, which is now located in the Chats tab instead of the top navigation bar.

“This feature improves accessibility on larger devices and it aims to encourage user engagement with AI features, such as solving problems and generating personalized content,” said WABetaInfo.

“However, the new placement, resembling a floating action button on Android, may still be subject to change based on user feedback and interaction patterns in the future.”

Reverse Image Search

WhatsApp is working on bringing a reverse search image feature to its web client.

This tool aims to help users assess whether images have been edited or taken out of context by comparing them with online sources, which should promote informed decision-making.

“By integrating this feature, WhatsApp enhances user security and combats the spread of manipulated content while maintaining transparency about the sharing process,” said WABetaInfo.

Document scans

WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature on iOS, which will allow users to scan documents directly within the app through the document-sharing menu.

The feature is set to offer convenience for users who need to share documents while on the move and lack access to traditional scanning equipment.

“By incorporating this capability within WhatsApp, users can address their document-sharing needs without toggling between apps or depending on external tools,” said WABetaInfo.

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