WhatsApp announces instant video messaging feature for users

Meta Platforms-owned instant messaging app WhatsApp on Thursday announced a new feature through which users can record and send short video messages in chats.

“New for WhatsApp — we’re adding the ability to instantly record and share a video message in your WhatsApp chats. It’s as easy as sending a quick voice message,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a blog post.

The new feature will enable users to send videos as easily as voice messages on the app.

Meta said in a statement that it has begun rolling out the feature and it will be available to everyone in the coming weeks. Video messages are a real-time way to respond to chats with whatever you want to say and show in 60 seconds, the statement added.

How can users send a video message?

To send an instant video message, users need to tap on the voice record icon at the right corner of a chat to switch on the video recording mode.

Videos will play automatically on mute when opened in a chat, and tapping on the video will start the sound. Video messages are also protected with end-to-end encryption to keep your messages secure, the company said.

Meta Q2 results

The Facebook parent posted double-digit growth in revenues and net profit for the second quarter of 2023.

Meta’s revenue grew 11% year-on-year (YoY) to $32 billion from $28.8 billion in the year-ago period. Further, the company’s net income rose 16% YoY to $7.78 billion, from $6.68 billion in the year-ago period.

“We had a good quarter. We continue to see strong engagement across our apps and we have the most exciting roadmap I’ve seen in a while with Llama 2, Threads, Reels, new AI products in the pipeline, and the launch of Quest 3 this fall,” said Zuckerberg.