WhatsApp’s iOS update 2.18.80 brings a new 'Notification Extension' feature that will allow iOS users to preview and/or download media files like photos and GIFs by just swiping down from the notification bar. The feature is still under development and may not be visible to all just yet.
WhatsApp has been working a lot to improve the overall experience on the platform for both Android and iOS. The instant messaging app has been testing features like hiding WhatsApp media in gallery, and 'Suspicious Link Detection', which it rolled out in the latest Android beta update. WhatsApp is now reportedly rolling out a new Notification Extension feature for iOS that will let users preview the photos and GIFs in notifications as well as enable them to download the media directly from notification if the Auto-download Settings are disabled. For the media preview to work, it will be necessary for a user to swipe down on the notification. The feature will reportedly work for iOS 10 and above.
According to WaBetaInfo, a popular website that tests new WhatsApp features before they are rolled out to the general public, WhatsApp released a new version 2.18.80 for iOS on the App Store which brings the Notifications Extension feature to the app. WhatsApp has been working on this feature for quite some time, but it may not be available to all iOS WhatsApp users with an updated app. WaBetaInfo notes that the feature is still under development and needs to get improvements before it is enabled for everyone. So if you don't see the feature in the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS, be patient and wait for the next update.
This update follows the beta rollout of the 'Suspicious Link Detection' feature which enables users to detect harmful links sent and received on WhatsApp to eventually make the platform more secure. When you receive a message that contains a link, WhatsApp will analyse the link in order to detect if it may redirect to a fake or alternative website. The rollout followed multiple incidents of lynching in India fuelled by fake WhatsApp messages. This feature was rolled out to Android testers only and is not available for iOS as of now. The Facebook-owned platform is testing other groups- and WhatsApp media-related features as well.
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