Year Ender 2021: From better Covid-19 response to WhatsApp payments

WhatsApp rolled out a whole list of new features in 2021 making the platform more useful and easier to use for everyone. These included both privacy features and features to deal with Covid-19, an app for businesses, and also the very handy payments feature.

One of the first things WhatsApp geared up to handle was the second wave of Covid-19. The platform partnered with the government and with civic bodies in India to create chatbots and helplines for citizens. These became a dependable source for Covid-related information and the platform itself functioned as a site to coordinate and organise resources over the pandemic.

Over 15 different state governments launched dedicated Covid helplines on WhatsApp this year and these joined the MyGov Corona Helpdesk what was launched in March 2020. The MyGov chatbot on WhatsApp handles various Covid-related services like vaccine certificate download, appointment bookings, and more, and the platform said that over 55 million people have reached out for information and services over the bot and 12 million vaccine certificates were downloaded.

On the product front, WhatsApp added product updates and features to improve the user experience on both the usability and the safety fronts. On the safety front, WhatsApp updated its ephemeral features that gave users more control and privacy over the messages and media they send to others. These included: Disappearing Messages, ‘View Once’ option for photos, and a Default Disappearing Mode with multiple durations to choose from for messages.

For added security, the platform also added message-level reporting option, a Touch ID and Face ID for iPhones, a fingerprint lock on the app for Android devices along with encrypted backup.

It also brought in new features like Desktop Calling support, cross-platform migration, joinable calls, and the Archive 2.0. And added little updates like sticker packs, stickers in statuses, and a media web editor for the web version of the platform.

One of the most important additions WhatsApp made on the platform in 2021 was the Payments on WhatsApp feature. The platform also recently announced the Digital Payments Utsav that is going to adopt 500 villages in Karnataka and Maharashtra and will help empower individuals and businesses with guidance and access to digital payments.

To make WhatsApp Payments more inclusive and intuitive for Indian users, the platform added the Indian rupee symbol right next to the chat composer. It also equipped the camera on the app to be able to scan QR codes. With an aim to make “sending money as easy as sending a message”, WhatsApp also added relevant stickers and thematic backgrounds to the experience.

WhatsApp joined hands with Uber to integrate it on the WhatsApp Business Platform. This makes it possible for people to book an Uber ride via Uber’s official WhatsApp chatbot.

Many other utility companies, like Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), are building customised chatbots to engage better with customers and also function as a grievance redressal system. And BPCL is not the only one, IOCL (Indian Oil Corporation Ltd) on WhatsApp’s API platform is enabled with support for gas booking, booking status check, and also an option to check loyalty points.

WhatsApp also rolled out the WhatsApp Business App that is being used by more than 15 million small and micro businesses currently.

“During the pandemic, the world over, WhatsApp became one of the most used and dependable ways for people to connect with family and friends, as well as for users to interact with businesses,” said Abhijit Bose, Head of India, WhatsApp.

“Offering small businesses the tools through the free of cost WhatsApp Business App helped them build digital storefronts to service their customers better. We believe Payments on WhatsApp can be a key partner to NPCI and RBI in achieving the shared objective of scaling the adoption of UPI and enabling financial inclusion for the underserved,” Bose added.

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