Meta’s instant messaging platform, WhatsApp has introduced screen-sharing, a new feature that will see it compete with video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, among others.
The Chief Executive of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, announced this on Tuesday via a post on his Instagram channel. With this feature, users can now share presentations or documents during live video calls just as it is on traditional video conferencing platforms.
The feature, which was first released for some beta testers on Android in late May, can be accessed by tapping or clicking the ‘Share’ icon. Users can choose between sharing a specific app or their entire screen. This is similar to how screen sharing works on typical video conferencing platforms like Google Meet and Zoom.
- “Whether sharing documents for work, browsing photos with family, planning a vacation or shopping online with friends, or just helping grandparents with tech support – screen sharing lets you share a live view of your screen during the call. You can initiate screen sharing by clicking on the ‘Share’ Icon and choosing between sharing a specific application or sharing the entire screen,” WhatsApp stated in a document.
WhatsApp said the screen-sharing feature has started rolling out on Android, iOS, and Windows Desktop in a phased manner. That means you may not see the feature immediately, but should soon.
WhatsApp’s many new features
The screen-sharing feature is the latest of several features WhatsApp had rolled out since the beginning of this year in an attempt to build a multipurpose app. Just recently, the platform announced a feature that allows users to edit messages on the app.
Zuckerberg said with the feature, sent messages can still be edited 15 minutes after it has been sent. Before then, users had to either delete a message or send a correction in a separate message.
In another development, WhatsApp also introduced Chat Lock, a new feature that allows users to lock and hide conversations on the app. According to Zuckerberg’s explanation of the feature, Chat Lock will remove a chat thread from the app's regular onscreen inbox and place it into a new folder that can only be opened by a password or biometric, such as facial recognition or a fingerprint.
Calling it "one more layer of security", Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, added Chat Lock will protect "your most intimate conversations" and hide notifications from them. As part of its privacy package, Meta allows WhatsApp users to encrypt their backups, block the ability to screenshot, and make their messages disappear automatically.
When a chat is locked, you can ensure that sensitive information and personal data in that conversation remain secure, even if someone else gains access to your phone. This level of control enhances your overall conversation security and protects your privacy.
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