The Facebook-owned WhatsApp for iPhone app has been refreshed on App Store with several new features, including an overhauled interface for the quick bubble actions, support for the iPhone XS Max display resolution and a consecutive voice messaging feature.
iPhone XS/Max display support
The massive 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max sports a new screen resolution that needs app support to take full advantage of. With proper support for the new display, WhatsApp on the flagship iPhone XS Max no longer appears blown up like an unoptimized app.
Furthermore, support for the latest iOS 12 software has been added as well. As a quick reminder, devices still on iOS 7 or older are no longer supported as of WhatsApp 2.18.90.
Revamped bubble actions
WhatsApp has overhauled its interface that appears when you long-tap a chat bubble, enlarging quick actions and making them more easily accessible than before.
As evidenced by the screenshots top of post and above, any quick actions that are accessible from the bubble menu—such as Star, Reply, Forward, Copy, Info, Delete, Speak and others—are now lined up vertically rather than horizontally and include both the wording and iconography.
More Status reply options
The WhatsApp Status feature has seen some love, too, with a few new reply options.
Before WhatsApp 2.18.100, you could reply to someone’s status using text, images, GIFs and videos. With the latest update, your status reply options have expanded and now include documents, voice messages, locations and vCards as well.
Expanded status reply options
Simply tap Status at the bottom to see your contacts’ status messages, then tap one and pull up if you’d like to reply. Next, tap the plus sign and you’ll be presented with the same user interface for picking media types like in the chat.
Consecutive voice messages
This feature makes it ridiculously easy to interact with voice messages.
Previously, you had to play each message in a sequence. With voice messaging improvements, tapping each message individually is no longer required. Now you simply play the first voice message and WhatsApp automatically plays all the other voice messages in sequence.
At the end of the voice message, you’ll hear a tone indicating the sequence has ended and the app will automatically play the next received message.
Coming soon: Dark Mode & more
As we reported this morning, Facebook is testing an optional Dark Mode-like interface styling with darkened backgrounds and some cool gray accents, as well as previewing video attachments from WhatsApp’s push notification.
The dark interface is being worked on so it’s unclear when it might release for everyone. In September, the Facebook-owned app enabled image and GIF previews in rich notifications.