WhatsApp rolls out flash call, message level reporting feature in India

WhatsApp logo
(Image credit: Facebook)

WhatsApp, one of the most popular instant messaging apps, keeps rolling out new features to enhance the customer experience. Recently, the Meta-owned messaging platform has dropped two new features in India - message level reporting and flash calls. Both the features are focused on making the user accounts more secure. 

In addition to the end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp also has safety features like locking the app with face ID or touch ID, control over status, profile picture and story sharing, blocking contacts and disappearing messages. To offer an extra layer of security, WhatsApp also came up with two-step verification for users.

WhatsApp flash call feature 

The flash call feature allows WhatsApp users to verify their number on the platform with an automated call. Previously, the only option to verify your account on a new device or while re-installing WhatsApp again was via the One Time Password (OTP) route.  

The feature eradicates the need for OTP verification, and WhatsApp generates an automated call to verify the device without any hassles. As of now, the feature is available for Android users only. As mentioned by WhatsApp, the flash call feature is safer than the OTP verification process as everything happens in the applications. 

WhatsApp message level reporting

The message level reporting enables the users to report accounts by flagging a specific message. To flag a message, one can simply long press a message to either block or report a user. Recently, a report says that WhatsApp banned over 2.2 million accounts in September 2021. Most of the blocked accounts were traced by WhatsApp and certified as fishy accounts. 

Other upcoming features

Apart from the new features, WhatsApp is coming up with new additions to ensure that it stays well clear of competitors such as Telegram and Snapchat. Recently, WhatsApp began working on a communities feature that will allow users to bring multiple group chats together. The main focus behind the communities feature is to provide complete control to admins over groups and give them authority to group the groups. 

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Nishit Rudra Raghuwanshi
Gadgets & Appliances Analyst

A career journalist who spent three years playing around with smartphones, associated apps and home appliances. As a hobby, Rudra enjoys researching mobile games. When he's not busy in the world of gadgets, Rudra is busy with a paper and pen writing poems or engaging with his growing digital audience on the Hindi rap circuit.