Recent feature additions by WhatsApp have been prolific. The messaging service has added features in recent months, including message reactions, the ability to share files up to 2GB, and support for groups with up to 512 members, including new Communities.
And right now, WhatsApp is enhancing it even further by enabling you to reply to messages with any emoji. With Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirming that you can now use any emoji as a message reaction in a Facebook post, You should see a (+) symbol when you long-press a message to react to, allowing you to choose any emoji to use as a response. To recall, WABetaInfo was the first to notice that WhatsApp was testing this new way to respond to messages with any emoji in the second half of June.
Additionally, audio notes for status updates are apparently being implemented by WhatsApp in a beta version. With the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.22.16.3 update, the company plans to add the feature of status updates by introducing support for voice notes. A voice note shared as a status update may very well be termed “voice status”.
A new icon that allows us to instantly add a voice message to our status update is featured at the bottom of the status page, as shown in the screenshot shown below. The voice message will be end-to-end encrypted, much like other videos and photos uploaded to your status, and it will only be shared with the individuals you select in your privacy settings for your status.
Unfortunately, the “Voice note” status feature is still in development, so it is currently uncertain when it will be available and how it will be implemented.