WhatsApp has a new feature

WhatsApp has a new trick that you can expect on your phone soon. At least, if you have an iPhone, because those people can use it first. I must honestly admit that I don't know if I will use this, but I am not surprised that this feature is coming. This already exists for text messages/SMS (and I never use that): giving reactions to messages.

And not with text, but with emojis. Just like you can give a post a heart on Instagram and also choose different emojis for your text messages if you hold your finger on the text message. I seriously wonder if people ever do this and then choose the emoji with ‘haha’ or the one with the two exclamation marks, because I find it so strange. Fortunately, we don't get that on WhatsApp; we get to choose from six ‘regular’ emojis.

Namely the thumbs up, a (red) heart, the smiling face, the surprised face, the crying face, and those two hands that I always thought were praying hands, but which apparently represent a high five. Whut? Learned something new again.

According to The Big Boss himself, Mark Zuckerberg, the feature is completely ready for use and as we speak, the first iPhones are getting this new feature. Of course, you need to update your app for this, so off to the App Store. Giving these kinds of reactions works the same as in the other apps: press and hold the message and then choose one.

Upon further reflection, this might actually be a handy feature. Instead of responding to that person you really don't feel like dealing with, you just give a heart. You come across as nice and it takes zero effort. Did someone make a joke that is absolutely not funny? Who cares, just give that smiling face. Yes, maybe this is actually a good addition.