WhatsApp Enhances User Privacy with Alternate Profile Feature and Boosts Group Call Capacity

WhatsApp, the globally acclaimed messaging platform, has always strived to cater to its diverse user base. Recognizing the multifunctional nature of its service, from personal chats to professional communication, WhatsApp is now reportedly introducing an "alternate profile" feature. Additionally, the app is set to make joining video calls more straightforward for a larger number of participants.

News about the alternate profile feature surfaced from WABetaInfo, which discovered this feature testing in a recent beta version. This new feature could grant users an unprecedented degree of privacy by facilitating a separate profile visible only to specific contacts. This way, users might gain more control over who sees their profile picture and alternate name.

This option could be particularly beneficial to users who widely use WhatsApp for networking and professional purposes. They would be able to present an alternate profile to individuals outside their regular contact list without appearing as an anonymous profile due to privacy settings. Essentially, this setting ensures users' privacy without compromising their visibility to broader contacts like clients, colleagues, and others in their professional network.

Although still in beta testing, the anticipation for this "alternate profile" feature is high among privacy-focused users. It is not yet available for the general public using the stable version of the app.

In another significant development, WhatsApp is also planning to augment its capacity for video calls. Reports suggest that users may soon be able to initiate group video calls with up to 31 participants, a marked increase from the current 15-person limit. Starting with larger video calls was previously a cumbersome process, with users being forced to initiate a call and then add participants incrementally. This new development will significantly streamline the process by allowing larger calls right off the bat.

According to WABetaInfo, this exciting new video call capacity is gradually rolling out to iOS users first. Android users have not reported such changes currently, but it is certainly possible that enhancements are not too far off.