WhatsApp Update: Now, You Can Watch YouTube Videos Within App, While Chatting

WhatsApp has updated its iOS app and introduced a new YouTube feature. The Facebook-owned messaging app has in fact announced two new features: enabling users to watch YouTube videos within the app and lock recording to record voice messages without holding the record button. With the new YouTube feature, WhatsApp users will be able to play videos on YouTube in the middle of chats. Interestingly, the YouTube feature comes along with a Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode. This feature allows users to continue watching the video even when they move on to another chat. The latest version of WhatsApp, v2.17.81, is now available for iPhone. It can be downloaded from the App Store. All the recent changes have been detailed in the What’s New section.

The new WhatsApp update was initially spotted by WABetaInfo. The report said that the YouTube feature may need to be enabled with a server side switch. Many reports say that the built-in player or PiP was not able to be replicated on the latest version of the iPhone app. However, the voice message recording lock is present. Meanwhile, the Apple App Store description on WhatsApp app reads as: “When you receive a link to a YouTube video, you can now play it right within WhatsApp. With picture-in-picture, you can also keep watching the video while you navigate to another chat.” Earlier on WhatsApp, when you clicked on a video link, the YouTube video would open in the YouTube app installed on your smartphone.

In the new WhatsApp update, users can now record long messages with ease. The description says: “Wiant to easily record long Voice Messages? When recording a Voice Message, just swipe up to lock recording so you can continue to record without keeping your finger down.” The app is also reportedly working on a new feature that will allow users to easily switch from voice to video call while the voice call is in progress. The WABetaInfo report said that in the new WhatsApp for Android, a new button is being developed that will enable users to switch from voice to video call without stopping the voice call in progress. Also, users will be able to reject the upcoming video call if he or she wants.

“WhatsApp is also testing a feature that will allow to directly mute a video,” the report added. WhatsApp has over 200 million monthly active users in India and 1.2 billion users worldwide.