WhatsApp launched ephemeral messages last year that disappear after a specified period. The feature grants users a little bit of control over confidential messages. Messages would disappear after seven days even if the recipient viewed the text the first day, minutes, or even hours after receiving. Such is a long period of time.
The chat app is reportedly extending support to images. Unlike disappearing messages, WhatsApp will handle self-destructing images differently; they will instantly disappear after the recipient leaves the chat. This way, they cannot have time to navigate their file manager to copy the file to a different location.
According to the usual WhatsApp sleuths, WABetaInfo, the feature is currently under development. It will be available on both Android and iOS.
WABetaInfo says recipients cannot export self-destructing photos to other platforms, and such images won’t be saved in your Gallery app either. The team notes that it works similarly to Instagram’s Direct feature.
The bummer is that the company is yet to add a screenshot detection feature that should theoretically ensure that self-destructing pictures can destroy themselves in peace, and a recipient cannot have a copy at all.
WhatsApp is working on self-destructing photos in a future update for iOS and Android.
• Self-destructing photos cannot be exported from WhatsApp.
• WhatsApp didn't implement a screenshot detection for self-destructing photos yet.Same concept from Instagram Direct. ⏱ pic.twitter.com/LLsezVL2Hj
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) March 3, 2021
The feature is not available in betas yet, so it might take longer before the company finally rolls it out to everyone.
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