WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, is gearing up to introduce a unique feature that might catch users by surprise. In addition to its regular influx of updates, WhatsApp is reportedly working on a wireless file-sharing system that facilitates the exchange of files between devices in close proximity.
The upcoming feature is designed to simplify file sharing between Android and iPhone devices. The beta version (2.24.2.20) of WhatsApp for Android has been spotted with this innovative file-sharing capability. To leverage this feature, users must have their devices near each other and the People Nearby screen open. If the devices are not visible to each other due to a lack of phone numbers, the file-sharing won’t initiate.
Creating a sharing request involves one of the users shaking their device after opening the People Nearby screen. This process is reminiscent of the file-sharing iPhone app ‘Bump’ that gained popularity in 2011. The feature, still in internal testing, reportedly supports file sizes of up to 2GB. Its official release to users is anticipated later this year.
While this wireless file-sharing method could offer convenience when exchanging files between Android and iPhone devices, the native file-sharing methods like Quick Share on Android and AirDrop on iOS are acknowledged for their simplicity and speed. Quick Share, recently integrated with Nearby Share on Android, streamlines file-sharing within the Android ecosystem.
WhatsApp’s foray into wireless file sharing marks a step towards enhancing the user experience, adding a unique dimension to the app’s evolving feature set.”