WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that lets users write
status updates with a colorful background, reports VentureBeat. It’s pretty
much identical to a feature on Facebook, and also allows users to add a link
and choose a font for their statuses. Previously, you could only use photos and
videos as a background.
Facebook began adding the colored-background statuses in
December 2016. While garish at times, the feature was supposed to increase
engagement among users. WhatsApp started testing the feature earlier this month
before releasing it to all users today. The statuses disappear after 24 hours
and can be added to WhatsApp’s stories feature — copied from Snapchat, and now
available on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.
Ephemeral messages, photos, and videos are all the rage and
consistently pull in users, so flagship social media apps are touting the
feature for obvious reasons. But updates like this make it seem like in the future,
we’ll just have a bunch of different apps that all do the same thing.
