WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.2.13: what's new?
WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.24.2.13.
What's new in this update? WhatsApp is rolling out a feature to manage app updates with the preinstalled Meta App Manager application, and it's available to some beta testers!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | App Updates |
| Status? | Rolling out |
| Compatibility? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.2.13 is marked as a compatible update, but a limited group of beta testers may be able to get the same feature by installing certain previous updates. |
| I've installed this update but I don't have this feature. Why? | This feature is available to some beta testers, and it is rolling out to more users over the coming weeks. |
| Thanks: | Technical MJ TV, Swakshan, Filipe Ramon, AmmadAsim4, and Punjabi Store Result, for testing and reporting. |
| Previous news? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.2.12: what’s new? This is a bug-fix update that addresses an issue with viewing thumbnails for status updates! |
APP UPDATES
In the past few weeks, WhatsApp released some important bug-fix updates to addresses some critical issues regarding status updates. These versions bring significant improvements to the stability and functionality of the app, ensuring a better experience for users when sharing images and videos through status updates. However, WhatsApp was also working on a new feature to notify specific users regarding the availability of such updates. Specifically, after installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.2.13 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is rolling out a new entry point within the app settings to manage updates!
As you can see in this screenshot, a new option is available within the app settings to some beta testers and it allows them to quickly manage updates from the app. It's possible to choose if WhatsApp should automatically be updated over WiFi once a new update is available, along with receiving notifications when the new version is ready to be downloaded. After our investigation, we discovered that this feature is limited to those devices with the preinstalled Meta App Manager application (for example, on some OxygenOS devices). This means that other people using different operating systems or devices without the Meta App Manager application preinstalled may not have access to this specific update management feature within the app settings at the moment. It's important to note that manually installing the Meta App Manager application won't enable this particular update management feature on devices that originally lacked the preinstalled Meta App Manager.
In our opinion, the introduction of this update management feature on devices with the preinstalled Meta App Manager app brings important advantages to the user experience. This approach ensures that users on supported devices can experiment with a more efficient update process, allowing for automatic updates over WiFi and timely notifications. It's important to note that the Google Play Store already offers users a feature to automatically updates apps when new versions are available. However, certain beta testers using OxygenOS, as well as some other device models like select Samsung phones and tablets, retain control over receiving notifications for updates. In addition, a shortcut to Meta App Manager is available right within the app settings.
The feature to manage app updates with the preinstalled Meta App Manager application is available to some beta testers that install the latest updates of WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store, and it is rolling out to even more people over the coming weeks.
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