EAGLED-EYED WhatsApp users have spotted a new feature that makes sending photos and videos to friends much faster.
It closely resembles Apple’s native AirDrop feature that is available to iPhone owners, and Google’s Quick Share for Android fans.
The new feature is called Nearby Share, and has been found in the latest beta version of WhatsApp for iOS, according to WABetaInfo.
It allows iPhone owners to share reels of holiday snaps and videos, but also files and documents, with people nearby.
It doesn’t require Wi-Fi, either.
Nearby Share, like AirDrop, is intended to let people send troves of images and videos without having to wait for them to load in on their pal’s phone.
It’s also handy when you want to send lots of media or files without using significant chunks of 4G and 5G data.
As with most WhatsApp features, Nearby Share is end-to-end encrypted.
This means only the intended receiver – not even WhatsApp – can see what’s being sent over the airwaves.
Unlike AirDrop, which scans and detects nearby iPhones, Nearby Share requires WhatsApp users to scan a QR code on their pal’s phone to start file sharing.
While both iOS users have their own in-built file sharing service, it can only be used to transfer files from one iPhone to another.
As noted by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp’s Nearby Share could be a way for iPhone owners to send files between iOS and Android.
The feature has not yet been officially announced by WhatsApp, or its parent company Meta.
Instead, it will remain in the beta version of the app until it’s ‘fully cooked’.
Developers will need to iron out any flaws in the feature before rolling it out to billions of users worldwide.
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