WhatsApp, the Meta-owned instant messaging app, has been reportedly testing rich link previews for text status updates.
Currently, links posted on WhatsApp statuses appear as plain URL text, with no further elements to preview details about the webpage they refer to. The preview will likely include an image from the target website, the title, a meta description, and the URL.
WhatsApp is also said to be developing a new text status update interface for Android users, which will be released to the masses at a future stage.
The rich link previews update in WhatsApp statuses comes just weeks after WhatsApp started rolling out Message Reactions to all users. Its other feature updates in the last few months include several group chat improvements, new features to help users quickly start chats with unsaved contacts, and support for sharing files up to 2GB in size.
WhatsApp introduced rich link previews on chats in 2017. It updated the experience as users started seeing a preview of the link, without requiring them to tap on it.
The updated interface also brings a redesigned caption view that WhatsApp was seen testing for Android users in April. It highlights the recipients of the status updates and lets the user change the audience for particular status from all contacts to selective ones. Users can tap the caption view button to make that change.
Last week, WhatsApp was spotted testing some of its useful business chat filters for all users. It was also found to be working on a message timer feature for existing chats.
Related: WhatsApp reportedly planning to introduce ‘Chat Filter’ feature
