WhatsApp For iOS Update Comes With New Features For iOS 10-Running iPhone, iPad

A new update for WhatsApp for iOS has arrived, and it makes the primarily texting app more like a stock dialer with the new features it comes with. The update is also said to specifically bring new features to iOS 10-running iPhone and iPad devices.

According to Phone Arena, the latest update, which clocked in at 84.2 MB, lets users answer WhatsApp calls directly from the lockscreen, just like how it is when receiving standard phone calls through the stock dialer. This is all thanks to iOS 10's CallKit that allows third-party apps to run like stock phone apps.

In addition, the newest update also enables users to command Siri to place a phone call or send a message through the WhatsApp app. And this would be quite useful, especially to iOS 10 users. It can be noted that in late August, IBTimes reported that iOS 10 would come with support for third-party apps, like WeChat, LinkedIn, Slack and WhatsApp. Hence, the update is the realization of Apple’s early plan to integrate Siri into chat apps.

The new WhatsApp for iOS update also comes with other new features and features that are already present in the beta version of WhatsApp for Windows Phone. For example, there is a new widget that makes it easier for users to check if there are unread messages and to jump to any of the latest chat threads without having to launch the WhatsApp app.

Finally, another feature that the WhatsApp update brings is the new gesture command that lets users switch from the front-facing camera to the back-facing camera or vice-versa with just a double tap on the phone’s screen.

The release of the new update comes just a day after news that WhatsApp beta for Windows Phone has been enhanced with the addition of a camera icon at the bottom of the Settings bar in the chat window in order for users to seamlessly share images and videos with anyone they are chatting with. Windows Central added that this feature would also enable Windows Phone users to share media quickly with more than one contact at a time.