WhatsApp Tests Using QR Codes to More Easily Share Contacts

[MacRumors]

WhatsApp is testing the use of QR codes to let users add contacts to the messaging platform, reports WABetaInfo.

The feature appears in beta versions for both iOS and Android, and can be found in the app's settings menu, which includes options to display your own QR code and scan the codes of other users. QR codes can also be revoked if users decide they'd rather not share their number with someone anymore.

The beta feature is a long-overdue way of adding contacts to WhatsApp directly. Currently users must first add a contact via the Contacts tab in Apple's Phone app. Only after then can they open WhatsApp and send them a message.

Using a QR code instead would skip this step and make the process a lot more convenient, although it's unknown when the feature will make it into a public release.

WhatsApp recently implemented new restrictions on the mass forwarding of messages in an effort to slow the spread of misinformation on the chat platform, and also added a group video chat capability for up to eight users at once.

Article Link: WhatsApp Tests Using QR Codes to More Easily Share Contacts

 

[B4U]

Line had it for years.

 

[GeoStructural]

WhatsApp is still the best messaging app in the world. The most ubiquitous, easy to use and feature-rich.

The only cons: 1) Owned by Facebook. 2) No iPad or iPod app.

 

[macintoshmac]

WhatsApp is still the best messaging app in the world. The most ubiquitous, easy to use and feature-rich.

The only cons: 1) Owned by Facebook. 2) No iPad or iPod app.

Owned by Facebook, and recently started uploading contacts to their servers instead of accessing contacts on-device like they used to. So, effectively, they are going to end up with the largest phone number directory in the world, privacy be damned.

 

[TwoBytes]

WhatsApp is still the best messaging app in the world. The most ubiquitous, easy to use and feature-rich.

The only cons: 1) Owned by Facebook. 2) No iPad or iPod app.

And it’s the dealbreaker behind not buying an iPad!

 

[GeoStructural]

Owned by Facebook, and recently started uploading contacts to their servers instead of accessing contacts on-device like they used to. So, effectively, they are going to end up with the largest phone number directory in the world, privacy be damned.

That is how they have always done it. Before they uploaded a copy of your contacts list to their servers, now you have the possibility to not allow that and do it in your device (at least on Android).

And again: privacy is a myth these days. No company (including Apple) offers you privacy.

Yes, some are better than other, for instance I started using an Adobe product recently and noticed that my projects were public by default, I was infuriated, how come they think people want their work public for the world? I immediately changed the privacy settings, but I can’t believe I had to dig through to find that.

Another situation was with Google’s Nest... it was accessing my Google Photos by default, I mean WTF... I had to go through settings to limit what the thing could access... again, these things should be private by default, not the other way around. In these types of situation Apple is truly better.

 

[MacBH928]

And again: privacy is a myth these days. No company (including Apple) offers you privacy.

Privacy is not a myth, if you use software that respects your privacy you will limit the exposure of your personal life.

If you use: Signal for messaging, FireFox for browsing, adblocks, PiHole, Linux for OS, ProtonMail for email, DuckDuckGo for searching..etc companies will know very little of you.

If you use: Whatsapp for messaging, Chrome for browsing, Alexa for searching, Gmail, Google, and Windows expect your whole life is being recorded in text, image, video, and sound form in a huge database shared with the government and sold to the highest bidder.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

Privacy is not a myth, if you use software that respects your privacy you will limit the exposure of your personal life.

If you use: Signal for messaging, FireFox for browsing, adblocks, PiHole, Linux for OS, ProtonMail for email, DuckDuckGo for searching..etc companies will know very little of you.

If you use: Whatsapp for messaging, Chrome for browsing, Alexa for searching, Gmail, Google, and Windows expect your whole life is being recorded in text, image, video, and sound form in a huge database shared with the government and sold to the highest bidder.

This issue with these apps for privacy, other people need to use it. Signal and ProtonMail is 100% useless if other people don’t use it. WhatsApp is extremely popular in Europe and other countries, So much, I had to get it to talk to my friends over there. As for ProtonMail, you email a friend with a gmail account, again it’s useless. So yes, privacy is a myth because you need to rely on others.
I rather someone use WhatsApp than sms.

 

[Seanm87]

Maybe spend time creating an iPad and Apple Watch app instead of this crap

 

[Elements0fStyle]

WhatsApp is still the best messaging app in the world. The most ubiquitous, easy to use and feature-rich.

The only cons: 1) Owned by Facebook. 2) No iPad or iPod app.

3. Their encryption has been vulnerable and I know for a fact government workers and military personnel have been advised not to use it.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

3. Their encryption has been vulnerable and I know for a fact government workers and military personnel have been advised not to use it.

This?

WhatsApp’s new vulnerability is a concession, not a backdoor

The Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts.

www.theverge.com

 

[uniquexoxo]

WhatsApp is still the best messaging app in the world. The most ubiquitous, easy to use and feature-rich.

The only cons: 1) Owned by Facebook. 2) No iPad or iPod app.

In the world? Are you sure? Cause I live in Asia, and I barely heard of WA, I only got to use it for a short time because of work. But compared to other chat apps here that’s not only chat apps but also our form of mobile payments (like WeChat Pay, LINE Pay, or KakaoPay), WhatsApp is not even as closed to being as useful as these apps.

 

[Rychiar]

In the world? Are you sure? Cause I live in Asia, and I barely heard of WA, I only got to use it for a short time because of work. But compared to other chat apps here that’s not only chat apps but also our form of mobile payments (like WeChat Pay, LINE Pay, or KakaoPay), WhatsApp is not even as closed to being as useful as these apps.

don't worry. American has barely heard of it either

 

[Mr. Heckles]

In the world? Are you sure? Cause I live in Asia, and I barely heard of WA, I only got to use it for a short time because of work. But compared to other chat apps here that’s not only chat apps but also our form of mobile payments (like WeChat Pay, LINE Pay, or KakaoPay), WhatsApp is not even as closed to being as useful as these apps.

They aren’t wrong.

Apps That You Should Download In the Phone Right Away

Amazing for daily life uses!

blog.sagipl.com

Zendesk: AI-Powered Customer Service Software

Zendesk is award-winning customer service software trusted by 200K+ customers. Make customers happy via text, mobile, phone, email, live chat, social media.

www.zendesk.com

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

Privacy is not a myth, if you use software that respects your privacy you will limit the exposure of your personal life.

If you use: Signal for messaging, FireFox for browsing, adblocks, PiHole, Linux for OS, ProtonMail for email, DuckDuckGo for searching..etc companies will know very little of you.

If you use: Whatsapp for messaging, Chrome for browsing, Alexa for searching, Gmail, Google, and Windows expect your whole life is being recorded in text, image, video, and sound form in a huge database shared with the government and sold to the highest bidder.

Totally agree, if any program is not open source, then forget trusting that software, you will never know what it really does, regardless of what the author tells you, and you will never know if they've implemented the encryption in a way where they themselves don't have a copy of your private key.

 

[uniquexoxo]

They aren’t wrong.

Apps That You Should Download In the Phone Right Away

Amazing for daily life uses!

blog.sagipl.com

Zendesk: AI-Powered Customer Service Software

Zendesk is award-winning customer service software trusted by 200K+ customers. Make customers happy via text, mobile, phone, email, live chat, social media.

www.zendesk.com

Well best in the world is a far stretch if the "world" is not even using it, and when it only offers chat. Other platforms offer chats too, but we like our mobile payments too. Reducing the reason to carry cash, since most stores accepts mobile payments, if we need money we can ask our friends/family in these chat apps for money. I guess for the "world" to say it's the best, it's because they haven't experience what best really is. Just saying.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

Well best in the world is a far stretch if the "world" is not even using it, and when it only offers chat. Other platforms offer chats too, but we like our mobile payments too. Reducing the reason to carry cash, since most stores accepts mobile payments, if we need money we can ask our friends/family in these chat apps for money. I guess for the "world" to say it's the best, it's because they haven't experience what best really is. Just saying.

Did I say best? No. I said most popular (most used).

Edit: the person I quoted said best. I mean they are the most popular.

 

[uniquexoxo]

Did I say best? No. I said most popular (most used).

Edit: the person I quoted said best. I mean they are the most popular.

I mean popular doesn't always mean it's the best. They could be popular because a lot of people are using it, so in order to join they would have to install it too. (If that makes sense lol)

 

[martin2345uk]

Forget this bollocks WhatsApp, how about giving us proper rich lock screen notifications? The current implementation is rubbish!

 

[macintoshmac]

You are not correct, it is actually the opposite. Before they uploaded a copy of your contacts list to their servers, now you have the possibility to not allow that and do it in your device (at least on Android).

Would it be too much of a bother for you to guide me as to how to achieve this? I removed and reinstalled WhatsApp on my Android device running stock Android 10, and I only have the option to allow contacts. No description as to whether the contacts will be accessed on-device or uploaded to WhatsApp servers. So, I might be not correct, as you said.

On iOS, WhatsApp clearly shows me they will now upload contacts to their servers. I am correct with respect to iOS version on WhatsApp. Apple might have made them put out to users about this change at least, so they are having to mention this on iOS. On Android, they do not mention anything, the app just asks for permission to contacts, that's it.

It would be really helpful of you if you would point me in the direction of getting WhatsApp to access contacts on-device on Android.

 

[MacBH928]

As for ProtonMail, you email a friend with a gmail account, again it’s useless. So yes, privacy is a myth because you need to rely on others.

No, If your friend has a gmail account they can go to his account and read HIS emails including the the ONE from you. If YOU choose to use Gmail, they will be able to read ALL YOUR email history with EVERYONE. You see the difference?

 

[GeoStructural]

Would it be too much of a bother for you to guide me as to how to achieve this? I removed and reinstalled WhatsApp on my Android device running stock Android 10, and I only have the option to allow contacts. No description as to whether the contacts will be accessed on-device or uploaded to WhatsApp servers. So, I might be not correct, as you said.

On iOS, WhatsApp clearly shows me they will now upload contacts to their servers. I am correct with respect to iOS version on WhatsApp. Apple might have made them put out to users about this change at least, so they are having to mention this on iOS. On Android, they do not mention anything, the app just asks for permission to contacts, that's it.

It would be really helpful of you if you would point me in the direction of getting WhatsApp to access contacts on-device on Android.

You are right, you have to grant access in order for them to match your contacts and display names. Although this is not recently, that is how they have always done it.

 

[stylinexpat]

Line had it for years.

Same with WeChat.. He probably saw his wife using it on Wechat and decided to knock off that feature and add it to Whatsapp

 

[macintoshmac]

You are right, you have to grant access in order for them to match your contacts and display names. Although this is not recently, that is how they have always done it.

You mentioned about the possibility to not allow uploading of contacts on WhatsApp servers and do it in your device (at least on Android). How do I achieve this?

 

[macintoshmac]

Proof of WhatsApp iOS asking users for permission to upload contacts to their servers. WhatsApp does not access contacts on-device anymore. Zuckerberg wants them numbers.