WhatsApp group chats to introduce new profile picture feature soon; details here

WhatsApp is working on a feature that will make recognising participants in a group chat easier. The application will introduce profile pictures to group chats to clarify the sender’s identity. This new feature will come in handy for users that are part of large WhatsApp groups and don’t have all contact names saved in their contact list. The WhatsApp profile photo will accompany the text bubble in the chat. The expansion of WhatsApp groups from a maximum of 256 participants to 512 participants also warrants such a feature. 
 
The feature has been spotted by WABetaInfo, a website that tracks all new features landing on WhatsApp beta. The report shows what the feature will look like on the WhatsApp Web client. The report also claims that the feature is in the development phase for iOS users of WhatsApp. The usual process is that WhatsApp first pushes a feature to the platform in the development phase. At this stage, not even Beta testers will be able to use the feature. The feature is then pushed to the select beta testers and eventually to all WhatsApp users. The WhatsApp group profile picture feature is still in the development phase. 
 
How does the profile picture feature work? 
 
Currently, WhatsApp only shows the phone number/name of the participant along with their message. While the name is a clear enough indicator, it can often be misread. The profile picture will be solving that problem for users. If a user doesn’t have a WhatsApp display picture or has kept it private, the group members will just see a default icon. 
 
Other WhatsApp Features in the Pipeline
 
WhatsApp is also working on an image blur feature within the application. This feature will let a user blur an image or a part of it before sending it across. Additionally, the instant messaging application is also bringing the feature of forwarding media along with the caption. Currently, the app automatically trims out the caption if you send any media such as photos, GIFs, or videos. With the new feature, WhatsApp will give users the option to either take the caption or dismiss it before forwarding it to another user or group. 
 
WABetaInfo shared a screenshot showing a new message box that will pop up under the media you’re sharing. WhatsApp will give the option to dismiss the caption completely. The automatic removal of a caption from the media discouraged many users from sharing it. The option of retaining it could spike the rate of forwarded messages. It is known that WhatsApp struggled with misinformation on its platform. That’s the reason why they introduced the “Forwarded Message” tag. The new feature for forwarding captions along with the media could be misused to circulate misinformation.