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Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp today announced that it is rolling out support for passkeys on iOS, a feature that will let WhatsApp users log in to their accounts on iOS devices using Face ID, Touch ID, or their device passcode. Passkeys serve as a replacement for a traditional password, and because device authentication is required, passkeys put a stop to online attacks like phishing. With a passkey, there's no password to steal, and no one-time SMS or authentication code that can be intercepted. Passkeys are also more convenient, because logins are done with a quick ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ scan rather than a password. WhatsApp passkeys can be enabled by opening up the app settings, choosing the Account section, and tapping on "Passkeys." Apple has supported passkeys since 2022, and they work on devices that run iOS 16 and later, iPadOS 16 and later, and macOS Ventura and later. Many companies have been implementing support for passkeys, including X (formerly Twitter), Google, TikTok, PayPal, Best Buy, Microsoft, PlayStation, and eBay.Tag: WhatsApp This article, "WhatsApp for iOS Gains Support for Passkeys" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple on late Thursday into Friday removed the popular messaging and social media apps WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Threads from its App Store in China at the request of the Chinese government, The Wall Street Journal reported. In a statement shared with several media outlets, Apple said China's national internet regulator ordered the removal of the apps from the App Store in the country due to unspecified "national security concerns." Apple said it is "obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree." Apple has complied with similar App Store removal orders from the Chinese government in the past for apps related to VPNs, news, and more.Tags: App Store, China This article, "Apple Pulls WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Threads From App Store in China Following Order" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

WhatsApp is rolling out new Chat Filters to make it easier to find the messages you are looking for and reduce the need to scroll through your inbox. The following three new filters appear at the top of the app's main conversation list: All, Unread, and Groups. In a blog post, WhatsApp describes them like so: All: The default view of all your messages. Unread: Perfect for when you want to see which conversations you need to catch up on or respond to. It shows messages that are either marked by you as unread or haven’t been opened yet, so you can prioritize your responses. Groups: A highly requested feature, now all your group chats will be organized in one place, making it easier to find your favorite ones whether it's your weekly family dinner discussion or planning your next vacation. This will also show subgroups of Communities.WhatsApp says the Chat Filters feature is rolling out now and will be available to everyone on both iOS and Android in the coming weeks. According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is also developing a feature that lets users pin their favorite channels to the top of the Channels list in the Updates screen. Initially, users will be able to pin up to a maximum of three channels, but WhatsApp has also tested up to five. The feature remains limited to WhatsApp beta users for now.Tag: WhatsApp This article, "WhatsApp Rolls Out Chat Filters to Help Find Conversations Faster" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

WhatsApp is slated to receive a pair of AI-powered upgrades aiming to help people answer tough questions on the fly, as well as edit images on the platform. Starting with answering questions, the upgrade integrates one of Meta’s AI models into the WhatsApp search bar. Doing so, according to WABetaInfo, would allow users to directly input queries without having to create a separate chat room for the AI. You'd be able to hold a quick conversation right on the same page. It appears this is an extension of the in-app assistants that originally came out back in November 2023. A screenshot in the report reveals WhatsApp will provide a handful of prompts to get a conversation flowing. It’s unknown just how capable the search bar AI will be. The assistants are available in different personas specializing in certain topics. But looking at the aforementioned screenshot, it appears the search bar will house the basic Meta AI model. It would be really fun if we could assign the Snoop Dogg persona as the main assistant. WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.7.14: what's new?WhatsApp is working on a feature to ask queries to Meta AI, and it will be available in a future update!https://t.co/qSqJ9JobbK pic.twitter.com/mKM9PLCF3VMarch 23, 2024 See more AI image editing The second update is a collection of image editing features discovered by industry expert AssembleDebug, after diving into a recent WhatsApp beta. AssembleDebug discovered three possibly upcoming tools – Backdrop, Restyle, and Expand. It’s unknown exactly what they do as not a single one works. However the first two share a name with other features currently available on Instagram, so they may, in fact, function the same way. Backdrop could let users change the background of an image into something different via text prompt. Restyle can completely alter the art style of an uploaded picture. Think of these like filters, but more capable. You can make a photograph into a watercolor painting or pixel art. It’s even possible to create wholly unique content through a text prompt. (Image credit: AssembleDebug/TheSPAndroid) Expand is the new kid on the block. Judging by the name, AssembleDebug theorizes it’ll harness the power of AI “to expand images beyond their visible area”. Technology like this already exists on other platforms. Photoshop, for example, has Generative Expand, and Samsung's Galaxy S24 series can expand images after they have been adjusted by rotation. WhatsApp gaining such an ability would be a great inclusion as it’ll give users a robust editing tool that is free. Most versions of this tech are locked behind a subscription or tied to a specific device. Do keep in mind neither beta is available to early testers at the time of this writing. They're still in the works, and as stated earlier, we don’t know the full capabilities of either set. Regardless of their current status, it is great to see that one day WhatsApp may come equipped with AI tech on the same level as what you’d find on Instagram especially when it comes to the search bar assistant. The update will make accessing that side of Meta software more convenient for everyone. If you prefer to tweak images on a desktop, check out TechRadar's list of the best free photo editors for PC and Mac. You might also like WhatsApp's new security label will let you know if future third-party chats are safeWhatsApp for Android is making it much easier to find older messagesHow to transfer WhatsApp chats to a new phone View the full article