The list seems like a way to encourage users to write and stay in the app by choosing among the contacts the one who has the greatest chance of responding quickly. However, the contact list could become a further erosion of the private sphere.
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Whatsapp’s battle not to leave no unanswered messages continues. After the “Unread” option comes the new “Recently Online” feature. With the new update, users will be able to view a list, section suggests some contacts they have recently used Whatsapp. The goal of the messaging app seems to be to push users to start new conversations, there should also be a button on the list screen to start a new chat.
The new functionality on the one hand facilitates interactions, on the other hand it opens new questions about user privacy. However who chose to hide last seen it should not appear in the list of contacts who have been “recently online”.
The Pros and Cons of “Recently Online”
The new feature could be a resource for some, as you are often afraid of disturbing someone by writing on WhatsApp, perhaps not knowing their routine. Yet it would be enough look at the last access to adjust and understand whether it is appropriate to start a chat or not.
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The list therefore seems like a way to encourage users to write and stay in the app choosing the one you have from your contacts the greatest possibility of responding in a short time.
The recently online contact list could also be an additional one erosion of the private sphere. And then, having recently used Whatsapp is not necessarily an indicator of availability.
When will it be available on WhatsApp
According to WABetaInfo, the feature is present in the 24.9.10.71 beta version of the messaging app. The new feature is currently accessible to a selected group of beta testers who have updated to the latest version of WhatsApp beta for Android via the Google Play Store.
It is not clear when will officially enter the messaging appwill most likely be available to more users in the coming weeks.
How “To Read” works
It seems that WhatsApp is looking on the one hand for a way to encourage users to stay on the app, and on the other to increase transparency even at to the detriment of privacy. The last functionality is in fact inserted into a process already underway. And in fact in mid-April the new filters were launched among these, “To read“. This is a section within the app where only those chats to which we have not yet responded are highlighted.
