WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.18.10.77: what's new?

WhatsApp has just submitted a new update through the TestFlight beta Program, bringing the version up to 24.18.10.77.
What's new in this update? WhatsApp is rolling out a live activity feature for media uploads, and it's available to some beta testers!

In the article about the WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.13.10.71 update, we announced that WhatsApp was rolling out a notification feature for media upload events. This feature is designed to inform users in real-time when their media uploads are paused or fail, providing immediate notifications without requiring them to open the app. It appears that WhatsApp is experimenting with new features to let users know about the state of their media uploads in real-time. Thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.18.10.77 update, which is available on TestFlight, we discovered that WhatsApp is rolling out a live activity feature for media uploads!

As you can see from the attached screenshot, some users can explore a live activity feature that provides real-time updates on media sharing. A live activity is an interactive feature available on certain iOS devices that allows apps to display ongoing updates directly on the lock screen. For WhatsApp, this means users can monitor the status of their media uploads, such as videos and large documents, without needing to unlock their phone or open the app. This real-time tracking of media uploads ensures that users are constantly informed about the progress of their uploads, including if they are paused, failed, or when they are successfully completed.

Through this feature, users can quickly identify if something goes wrong with their upload, like a network failure or interruption, and take immediate action to resolve the issue. This is particularly useful when dealing with time-sensitive media that needs to be shared promptly. It is worth noting that, while this new extension is currently available to some beta testers, some users who install the latest version of WhatsApp from the App Store might also be able to experiment with the live activity feature. This suggests that the feature might not necessarily be limited to beta testers, although being part of the beta program increases the chances of accessing it early. It's also very important to mention that Live Activities are supported on iPhones running iOS 16.1 or later. However, the full Live Activities experience is only available on devices with the Dynamic Island, offering a more interactive way to display ongoing activities.

It's important to note that the future of this feature is somewhat uncertain, even before it is widely rolled out to more users. It appears that Apple may limit the refresh rate of live activities to every 15 seconds starting with iOS 18. This could impact the functionality of WhatsApp's new live activity, preventing it from providing real-time updates for media sharing. It remains unclear whether this change will apply to all types of live activities or if this iOS 18 update will actually be implemented.

A live activity feature for media uploads is available to some beta testers who install the latest versions of WhatsApp beta for iOS from the TestFlight app, and it's rolling out to more people over the coming weeks.

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