New Feature launch - Find, Message and Buy on WhatsApp

 at the first-ever WhatsApp Business Summit in Brazil, Mark Zuckerberg has shared an update on what we’re building to help people find, message and buy something from a business on WhatsApp. These new features are introduced to offer an enhanced end-to-end commerce experience for users and connect with their favourite brands while discovering new ones.

 

1. Find a Business 

• Business Search – Find a larger brand on WhatsApp using our API (select country launch – Brazil, UK, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia)
• Directory – Discover a local merchant (SMB) on WhatsApp (Brazil only; expanding to the entire country after testing in Sao Paulo)

  

2. Buy 

• P2M - Pay a local merchant directly in WhatsApp (Currently testing in Brazil; expected to expand to other markets as well)

 

The new Business Search feature will be available Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico and the UK.

 

We hear from people all the time how they want a simple way to not only find but reach out to businesses on WhatsApp so they can get assistance quickly without having to look up a phone number, send an email to a support@ address or navigate a complicated website. And while many businesses already promote their own WhatsApp number in packaging materials, store signs and websites, they often ask us for a better way to help more people know about this channel. That’s why we’re launching the ability to find a business right on WhatsApp so people can now browse businesses by category – such as travel or banking – or search by the business name. This will save people from having to find phone numbers off websites or type a number into their contacts. To start, we’re bringing this feature to Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the UK. In Brazil, people will be able to browse categories of small businesses in their neighborhood as well.

 

Once people find a business they want to chat with, they can ask product questions, browse their catalog of goods and services and add items to a cart so the business knows what they want to buy. From there, we want people to be able to make a secure payment right from a chat with their credit or debit card. We recently launched this experience in India and we’re excited to now be testing this in Brazil with multiple payment partners. This seamless checkout experience will be a game-changer for people and businesses looking to buy and sell on WhatsApp without having to go to a website, open another app or pay in person. Our goal is to expand this experience to more countries in the future.

Introducing the WhatsApp Business App

People all around the world use WhatsApp to connect with small businesses they care about — from online clothing companies in India to auto parts stores in Brazil. But WhatsApp was built for people and we want to improve the business experience. For example, by making it easier for businesses to respond to customers, separating customer and personal messages, and creating an official presence.   

WhatsApp launched its Business app — a free-to-download Android app for small businesses. Our new app will make it easier for companies to connect with customers, and more convenient for our 1.3 billion users to chat with businesses that matter to them. Here's how:

·        Business Profiles: Help customers with useful information such as a business description, email or store addresses, and website

·        Messaging Tools: Save time with smart messaging tools — quick replies that provide fast answers to frequently asked questions, greeting messages that introduce customers to your business, and away messages that let them know you're busy

·        Messaging Statistics: Review simple metrics like the number of messages read to see what's working

·        WhatsApp Web: Send and receive messages with WhatsApp Business on your desktop

·        Account Type: People will know that they're talking to a business because you will be listed as a Business Account. Over time, some businesses will have Confirmed Accounts once it’s been confirmed that the account phone number matches the business phone number

People can continue using WhatsApp as usual — there's no need to download anything new. And people will continue to have full control over the messages they receive, with the ability to block any number, including businesses, as well as report spam. 

Over 80% of small businesses in India and Brazil say WhatsApp helps them both communicate with customers and grow their business today (Source: Morning Consult study). And WhatsApp Business will make it easier for people to connect with them, and vice versa, in a fast and simple way. 

WhatsApp Business is available today and free to download on Google Play in Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, the U.K. and the U.S. The app is rolling out around the world in the coming weeks. This is just the beginning!

 

Now WhatsApp Enables You To Share Your Live Location

Whatsapp has rolled out a new feature that allows you to share your location in real-time with family or friends. Whether you're meeting up with friends, letting loved ones know you're safe, or sharing your commute, Live Location is a simple and secure way to let people know where you are. 

 This end-to-end encrypted feature lets you control who you share with and for how long. You can choose to stop sharing at any time or let the Live Location timer simply expire.

Here's how it works. Open a chat with the person or group you want to share with. Under "Location" in the attach button, there's a new option to "Share Live Location." Choose for how long you want to share and tap send. Each person in the chat will be able to see your real-time location on a map. And if more than one person shares their Live Location in the group, all locations will be visible on the same map.

Live Location is available on both Android and iPhone and will be rolling out in the app in the coming weeks. We hope you like it.

WhatsApp announces colorful text-based Status updates

WhatsApp has announced a fun, new way for the 250 million monthly users of WhatsApp Status (global) to express themselves. The new feature makes it easy to share creative text-based status updates. Now you never have to worry about getting the word out to all your family and friends. Whether you’re looking for vacation recommendations or notifying a group about the address for a party, the text-based status feature allows you to update your contacts in a fun and personal way. To customize text statuses, users can choose a specific font and background color, or include links.

The new feature is available on iPhone and Android phones. Also, users can now view Status updates on WhatsApp for the web.

Tips & tricks for sharing a status:

    Control who can see your Status update: In WhatsApp’s privacy settings, you have the option to choose the people who will receive your update. You can select from the following three options: “my contacts,” “contacts except...” and “only share with...”
    See who has viewed your Status update: Tap the eye icon at the bottom of any Status update to view a list of contacts who have seen your update.

    Reply to an update: When you view someone’s Status update, there is a reply button, so you can comment on any photo, video, or GIF. Once you tap reply, your message will be sent in a WhatsApp chat with a thumbnail of the Status update.

Introducing New WhatsApp Status

WhatsApp is introducing WhatsApp Status, a new way for users to share moments with friends and family throughout their day via photos, videos, and GIFS.


Appended is the blog post by Jan Koum, CEO & Co-Founder, WhatsApp:

It was just eight years ago, in February 2009, when we started writing the first lines of code for what would eventually become WhatsApp. The original idea behind the project was to build an application that lets your friends and other contacts know what you're up to. This was months before we added messaging. 

Even after we added messaging in the summer of 2009, we kept the basic "text only" status functionality in WhatsApp. Every year, when Brian and I would plan projects to work on, we always talked about improving and evolving this original "text only" status feature.

We are excited to announce that, coinciding with WhatsApp's 8th birthday on February 24, we are reinventing the status feature. Starting today, we are rolling out an update to status, which allows you to share images and videos with your friends and contacts on WhatsApp in an easy and secure way. Yes, even your status updates are end-to-end encrypted.

Just like eight years ago when we first started WhatsApp, this new and improved status feature will let you keep your friends who use WhatsApp easily updated in a fun and simple way. From all of us at WhatsApp, we hope you enjoy it!

WhatsApp Video Calling Is Here

The wait is over. Starting today, WhatsApp will let you make video calls is here for free. In the coming days, WhatsApp's more than one billion users can make video calls across Android, iPhone, and Windows devices.

Whatsapp has introduced this feature because voice and text messages are just aren’t enough. There’s no substitute for watching your grandchild take her first steps, or seeing your daughter’s face while she’s studying abroad.

Over the years we’ve received many requests from our users for video calling, and we’re excited to finally offer this feature to the world. Thank you for using WhatsApp and we promise to keep working hard every day to improve the service.

Message from Jan Koum, CEO & Co-Founder, WhatsApp: 'Video calling is one of the most requested features from people in India. We're proud to have the opportunity to launch this feature in India, where we now have 160 million users, and we look forward to seeing people use WhatsApp to talk to their friends and loved ones face to face.'

Whatsapp Starts Rolling Out Video Calling Feature

As expected, Whatsapp messenger has started rolling out video calling feature on its platform. 

Currently available as beta version to Windows-powered smartphones, this feature is soon going to be launched on Android and iOS platforms. Available under the Whatsapp call button, the fetaure allows switching between front and rear cameras.

Source: Inshorts

FreeCharge Users Can Now Send And Receive Money Through WhatsApp

FreeCharge has announced today that its users can now simply whatsapp money to each other. This pioneering innovation by Freecharge is expected to make digital payments convenient and frictionless for hundreds of millions of new users, given the huge popularity that WhatsApp enjoys in India.

The engineering team at FreeCharge is continuously building new and innovative ways to make payments faster, convenient and frictionless. This recent innovation by Freecharge enables consumers on Android platform to use the Chat-n-Pay service to send and receive money in a secure way in less than 10 seconds through chat platforms like WhatsApp. 

How to activate Freecharge on WhatsApp:

1) Go to "Freecharge on WhatsApp" from the Freecharge menu
2) Click "Enable" to enable Freecharge in accessibility settings
3) Open WhatsApp
4) Type amount followed by FC. Eg: 100FC
5) Choose your options - send/request money or recharge!

WhatsApp App Launched For Desktop

Whatsapp has finally launched an official app for Desktop. 

WhatsApp said that it had introduced the app to let people “stay in touch anytime or anywhere – whether on your phone or computer at home or work”.

Download link- https://www.whatsapp.com/download/

Source

WhatsApp Blocked in Brazil for 48 hours

Yes, you heard it right. Whatsapp has been blocked in Brazil due to a criminal proceeding in the Sao Paulo State Justice Tribunal in Sao Bernardo do Campo. The case involves a drug trafficker linked to the PCC, or First Command of the Capital, one of Sao Paulo's biggest and most dangerous criminal gangs. The trafficker allegedly used WhatsApp services in the commission of crimes.

According to the court, WhatsApp failed to comply with a judicial order issued July 23. WhatsApp was notified again on August 7 when the court set a fine for non-compliance. On Wednesday, after finding WhatsApp in continued non-compliance, Judge Sandra Regina Nostre Marques ordered the 48-hour shutdown under terms of the country's Internet legislation, the statement said.

"This is a sad day for Brazil. Until today, Brazil has been an ally in creating an open Internet. Brazilians have always been among the most passionate in sharing their voice online. I am stunned that our efforts to protect people's data would result in such an extreme decision by a single judge to punish every person in Brazil who uses WhatsApp," Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page in both English and Portuguese.

Source: NDTV

Bangladesh government blocks Twitter, Skype, IMO

Three days after lifting a 22-day ban on Facebook, the Bangladesh government today blocked the social networking sites Twitter, Skype and Imo. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) sent a letter to its mobile phone operators and telecom service providers asking them to suspend the services immediately.

Asked about the reason behind the move, BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood told The Daily Star that they have taken the step following instructions from the government.
Earlier on Thursday, the government unblocked Facebook after a 22-day restriction on the popular social networking site. However, the government did not give any decision about the ban on WhatsApp and Viber.

The Bangladesh authorities on November 18 blocked Facebook and online messaging and calling services WhatsApp and Viber immediately after the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict maintaining its previous ruling that upheld death penalty to war criminals Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.

A letter sent from the BTRC asked different telecom operators and all internet service providers to stop the services immediately. Earlier on January 18 of this year, the regulators blocked mobile applications Viber, WhatsApp, Tango, Mypeople and Line in the country for security reasons. The services were unblocked four days later.

Source: The Daily Star