WhatsApp is testing a new feature to share documents and media with contacts without an internet connection. The feature will work a lot like AirDrop and Nearby Share to send files and media to nearby people. Here’s what this is all about.
WhatsApp Media Sharing Will Soon Get Offline Functionality
The popular WhatsApp tracking website, WABetaInfo, has spotted the new functionality as part of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.9.22 update. The People Nearby feature will help share media using Bluetooth and hence, will rely less on internet connectivity.
While the feature was already in the works, the latest update sheds more light on how the feature will work. As you can see in the screenshot above, the app will have a dedicated People Nearby section listing various permissions required for it to work. The section can be found under Settings > People nearby. These include
- Media access.
- Find and connect to devices on your local network.
- Find, connect to, and determine the relative position of nearby devices.
Once the user agrees to grant these permissions, the app can discover nearby devices to enable file sharing. However, the People Nearby feature needs to be turned on both devices. This means that the feature will be opt-in for all devices.
The feature is also expected to be end-to-end encrypted to protect user privacy. Additionally, the People Nearby feature will not display phone numbers. The feature is currently under development and should be rolled out to all in a future update. We will keep you posted with official details, whenever they are available. So, stick around!
