WhatsApp for iPhone now supports Focus mode on iOS 15, as well as contacts' profile photos in the notification banner and the ability to pause and resume voice recordings.
WhatsApp updated with Focus mode support and two other new features
WhatsApp is working on wallpapers for voice calls, two-step verification on desktop
A new test would enable WhatsApp wallpapers for voice calls and let you turn the two-step verification feature on or off on WhatsApp Desktop and WhatsApp Web.
WhatsApp chat transfer could require the Move to iOS app
An upcoming WhatsApp chat transfer feature may soon allow you to migrate your chat archive from Android to iPhone, but this doing so could require Apple's Move to iOS app.
Instagram is officially testing the chronological feed
Instagram's feed is a point of contention for a lot of users. The company, which is owned by Facebook, has worked on the way it's laid out, and the way people see posts, on a semi-regular basis for quite some time now. But one thing that a lot of users have requested, a return to the chronological feed, has been missing. It was teased in December, and now it's here finally.
After several years of development, Meta reportedly abandons work on its own operating system for AR and VR
Meta's operating system for AR and VR devices may have been canceled, but it's unclear whether a version of Android may continue to power future Oculus Quest VR devices.
Is Apple throwing enough money at key engineers to prevent defection to Meta?
As Apple and Meta poach top talent from each other, Apple is reportedly awarding significant stock bonuses to key engineers as an incentive to stay with the company.
Survey shows a lot of users trust Amazon and Google more than Apple with their personal data
One of the key, tentpole features for Apple across its services, operating systems, and products is user privacy. They shout about it from the rooftops when given the opportunity. And it's been like that for years. It's a lot of the reason so many people have adopted Apple's ecosystem into their lives. And yet, a new survey shows a lot of people out there still trust other companies more in this regard.
New report says even opting out of app tracking won’t keep Facebook or Snapchat from tracking users
After Apple announced the App Tracking Transparency feature for iOS, there were some companies banging a lot of drums about how it would demolish their businesses. Facebook, for instance, was adamant that the ATT feature would ruin Facebook as we knew it. However, it turns out that the social media giant has figured it out.
Facebook Messenger and Instagram will adopt end-to-end encrypted chat in 2023
Technically speaking, Facebook Messenger does offer end-to-end encrypted communication options. Those are available in video and audio calls, a feature Facebook launched in August of this year. However, end-to-end encryption for actual text chats isn't available just yet. But that will change at some point in the future. Maybe in 2023.
Instagram and Twitter reinstate link previews after a silly feud that lasted for nine full years
Instagram and Twitter link previews are working again! Now sharing an Instagram post on Twitter actually renders the linked media instead of just showing URL text. For the past nine years, posting such links did nothing—in place of rich link previews, you saw raw Instagram links. But the companies are now having a change of heart.
Facebook pokes at Apple’s App Store Guidelines by instituting new creator subscription links
Apple's App Store Guidelines are there for a reason. Whether or not that reason is justified, at least in some circumstances, remains a hot topic these days. Epic Games, for instance, does not approve of many aspects of those rules. And Facebook has gone on record of not being a fan of some of the things Apple has implemented for its digital storefront, either. And now the social network, now ruled by Meta, is here to poke the bear a bit.
Facebook the company rebrands itself to Meta
Rumors had been swirling for a bit that Facebook, the social networking giant, was planning to rebrand in a major way. Starting with its name. And, indeed, it turns out those rumors were right on the money because today the company has confirmed those plans.