WhatsApp has been consistently enhancing its platform with new features. A standout addition is the ability to plan events directly within group chats. Initially available to Communities in May, this tool has expanded to all groups, making it easier for users to coordinate meet-ups, social gatherings, and other events.
The event planning feature enables WhatsApp users to easily set up events, meetings, and social gatherings within their group chats. Users can create a calendar event within WhatsApp that can be added to their phone’s calendar or accessed directly within the app. Setting up an event is straightforward: users simply press the “+” button in the group chat, select “Event,” and then enter details such as the event name, description, start date, location, and a call link for virtual meetings. Once an event is created, a notification is sent to all group members, who can then respond, ensuring that everyone is informed and can coordinate their plans effectively.
When this feature was launched in May, WhatsApp described it as a tool to make planning get-togethers easier, whether for virtual meetings or in-person events like birthday dinners. This functionality is designed to simplify event planning by integrating it directly into the widely-used messaging platform, allowing users to manage their social and professional schedules without leaving the app. The feature has been progressively rolling out to users over the past few weeks and is expected to be available to all users soon.
WhatsApp has also recently reached a significant milestone, surpassing 100 million monthly active users in the United States. This achievement is particularly notable given the dominance of other messaging services like Apple’s iMessage and Google Messages in the US market.
In addition to the event planning feature, WhatsApp has several other updates in the pipeline. The messaging app plans to introduce double-tap message reactions, a feature already familiar to Instagram users. WhatsApp is also working on a feature that enables users to create personalized stickers using their own images, initially available to beta users on iOS.
Furthermore, WhatsApp is testing an AirDrop-like feature to improve file sharing between iOS and Android devices, a significant enhancement for cross-platform communication. The app is also set to introduce the Imagine AI tool, allowing users to create AI-generated avatars, and a native photo-editing tool to edit photos using prompts.
