WhatsApp notifications on iOS are about to get a lot more useful.
The popular messaging service is now testing media previews that let users view images and even animated GIFs before opening a message. Today’s update has also added the ability to use Siri to send messages to groups.
If someone sends you an image on WhatsApp today, you’ll have to open their message to see it. The notification you receive will simply read “image.” WhatsApp is finally doing something about that.
A new notification extension will let you preview images and more inside iOS notifications.
WhatsApp notifications are getting a welcome overhaul
The extension, which was uncovered in WhatsApp version 2.18.80 but isn’t yet available to all, shows you images and GIFs before you open a message. If you’ve disabled automatic downloading, it also provides the option to save them.
Photo: WABetaInfo
“To view the media preview, it will be necessary to Peek and Pop or swipe down the notification,” reports WABetaInfo. “Our tests revealed the feature will work for iOS 10 and newer.”
It’s not yet clear when the notification upgrade will arrive. WhatsApp is still developing it and more improvements are needed, so we might have to wait a little while for it to arrive.
In the meantime, today’s WhatsApp update lets you send messages to groups using Siri. The digital assistant could previously be used for one-to-one chats only.
