WhatsApp has increased the file sharing support to 2GB earlier and soon the messaging app will let you send files or photos with people nearby without using the internet. The offline mode of file sharing could be WhatsApp’s version of Nearby Share/Quick Share that works to let you share files with the help of Bluetooth and access to the nearby devices.
The feature is being currently tested with the Android beta version which clearly shows WhatsApp asking for permission on your phone to access nearby devices, your photo gallery on the phone and location of the device as well, something that Nearby Share also needs to get the off-the-internet file sharing to come through.
The good thing about these file-sharing features is that you can manually disable its access at any point which is a useful safety measure to follow. We have heard about the offline sharing feature earlier but a beta testing phase for the tool suggests the official release might not be too far away.
You could say that most of the apps need the internet to be effective but to see WhatsApp offer an offline feature bodes well, especially when their content will be shared with contacts or nearby people with its full range of encryption in place.
WhatsApp is also testing a new way to give these details with the help of a new section when you click on the + icon at the bottom of the screen.
The new feature is being beta tested for Android users with the version 2.24.9.14 as mentioned by Wabetainfo in its latest post this week. The messaging app is basically adding a new tab in its interface called Recently online right above the section where you can see the names of all your contacts on WhatsApp.
“While this feature doesn’t provide a comprehensive online list of all contacts, it effectively simulates such functionality by displaying a limited number of recent active contacts, particularly when attempting to select contacts to place a call with,” the tipster highlights in the post.
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