The new feature is currently only available for iPhone users and allows them to watch a YouTube video without leaving the app.
WhatsApp has updated its iOS app with YouTube integration. Users can now watch YouTube videos without exiting WhatsApp with the latest v2.18.11 of the app, which is available for downloaded on the App Store. The new version also updates the app with some bug fixes and general improvements.
The new feature was being tested on the Facebook-owned messaging app from sometime. It was first spotted by WABetaInfo in beta testing. Before the update, whenever a user tapped on a YouTube link, it would be played using the YouTube app after moving WhatsApp to the background. However, with the YouTube integration, the video can be played within the app without closing it. Also, it comes with (Picture-in-Picture) PiP mode so that one can still use WhatsApp while viewing a YouTube video.
While using the PiP mode, the video is displayed in a floating bubble with simple control options like play, pause, close and fullscreen. The video bubble’s size can also be changed and users have the option of moving it around the screen. We tested the feature and it seems to be working only for the receiver and not the sender. So a sender can’t watch a shared YouTube video in the PiP mode unless it is sent by someone else. The feature is currently available only for iOS users and it’s not known when it will be rolled out for Android.
An earlier report tipped that WhatsApp might be working on a new feature for its app, which will enable prevention of spam messages. The feature would reportedly work based on guidelines of notifying users of bulk messages, which a spammer usually sources from the internet or some registration services. You can read more about it here.
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