News & Reviews:   messaging

Software companies are all about introducing new features. Some are crucial or useful, but there are those that are gimmicky or pointless. WhatsApp is the same with its constant updates, and how handy its latest one ends up being could be up for debate.

Today, WhatsApp has announced a new feature called parent-managed accounts, designed to give parents and guardians greater control when younger users begin using the messaging platform. The update aims to create a safer messaging environment for pre-teens while preserving the app’s privacy protections.

It's important for parents to have greater control over what their children can see or do. Some parents also find it important to ensure their kids don't spend too much time chatting online. With WhatsApp, the next update could offer some privacy for a child's account.

Today, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has announced that internet messaging and social media platforms with at least eight million users in the country will be automatically regarded as registered holders of the Class ASP(C) Application Service Provider licence starting 1 January 2026, under the implementation of the Deeming Provision of Section 46A of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

The government of Singapore Police Force (SPF) has formally instructed Google and Apple to implement safeguards preventing fraudsters from spoofing government-agency identities on their messaging platforms. The order comes after a surge in scams where messages appearing to come from official organisations — such as the national postal service — were sent through encrypted messaging apps.

WhatsApp is reintroducing its original About status feature — a simple way for users to post short updates about what they are doing. According to the company, About was actually WhatsApp’s very first feature, used before the app was even built around messaging.

As we reported before, WhatsApp has finally rolled out its new AI-powered Writing Help. To the uninitiated, this new feature was designed to help users write the right tone in their messages—without ever leaving the chat.

WhatsApp is quietly rolling out a new feature in its latest iOS beta version 25.22.10.74: an AI-powered Writing Help assistant designed to refine your messages before you hit send. Available to a limited number of users via TestFlight, this tool marks a major step in WhatsApp’s push toward smarter, privacy-conscious communication.

In this latest WhatsApp beta news, WhatsApp is refining its username feature with a new privacy tool called the “username key.” This optional setting acts as a gatekeeper—users who enable it can require others to enter a unique code before messaging them via username, adding a protective layer against unsolicited chats.

After iOS 18 was released worldwide, one of the features that many overlooked was the launch of Rich Communication Services (RCS) support on the iPhone. With this, users from both platforms can make use of typing indicators, read receipts, high-quality media sharing, and improved group messaging.