WhatsApp New Feature Update: Meta-Owned Platform Experimenting With ‘Status Updates With Close Friends’ Feature, Will Launch for iOS Beta Users After Development
Meta-owned WhatsApp has started working on a new feature to help users share their status updates with their close friends. The upcoming WhatsApp feature called 'Status updates with close friends' will be available to iOS beta testers soon before being released to the final users. Check more details here.
Mumbai, September 1: WhatsApp has started rolling out a new experimental feature for iOS beta users. It has not yet been rolled out for the developers, as it is in the development phase. Meta-owned WhatsApp has begun working on a "Status updates with close friends" feature. It will be available through the TestFlight beta Programme for all iOS platform beta users. Recently, WhatsApp rolled out a few similar features to offer a better experience of setting a status on the platform.
WhatsApp's new feature is aimed at letting users share status updates with close friends. According to a report by WABetaInfo, the upcoming new feature would be introduced in the "My Status" option in the iOS share sheet, letting users post photos and videos as status updates directly from any app. The report mentioned that previously, WhatsApp users had to open the app and then go to the contact list. However, the new update would help them share status seamlessly and quickly. UPI Transactions Surge: Unified Payment Interface Crosses 20 Billion Transactions for 1st Time in August 2025, Valued at INR 24.85 Lakh Crore.
WhatsApp 'Status Updates With Close Friends' Feature
WhatsApp's upcoming feature will reportedly allow users to edit their status instantly with text, emojis, or drawings before publishing them for people to view. The platform will give total control over the status of the settings. The report mentioned that the new feature would be rolled out in the iOS 25.23.10.80 update via the TestFlight app. Flipkart Big Billion Days 2025 Sale: BBD Sale Coming Soon, Teased To Arrive With ‘Festive Rush Hours’, ‘Double Discounts’ and More; Check Expected Date and Other Details.
Changes to close friend list would only apply to the future status updates, according to the report. The original status posted earlier would be visible when a user posts new status update with their close friends. In order to change this, the WhatsApp users will have to manually delete their old status and apply new configuration. WhatsApp will allow the new status shared with close friends to be temporarily available for 24 hours and then it would disappear.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 01, 2025 12:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).