Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Government
- Signal’s latest beta release includes features that will make anyone leaving WhatsApp feel more at home.
- Among other additions, there is a new feature to set independent backgrounds for all your chats.
- You will also find an option to set up a status update and sticker support.
Just over a week after an influx of fleeing WhatsApp users took it down for a better part of a day, Signal is trying its best to stop those individuals from returning to Facebook’s chat app. Its latest beta release, seen by WABetaInfo, adds a number of features, all of which you should know if you are one of the people who left WhatsApp after announcing a disastrous change in privacy policy.
To get started, find a new option to set up independent backgrounds for all your chats. It’s a fun customization feature that was part of a variety of messaging apps, not just WhatsApp. This was especially lacking in Signal, where your customization options were limited to choosing between light and dark mode. With another new personalization feature, you can write a short status update that other people can see as they browse through their contact list. Signal has some suggestions like ‘Free to chat’ and ‘Take a break’ to help you.
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The latest in this update is also support for animated stackers and Signal’s first sticker package, “Day by Day.” With a corresponding update to the computer client, you can create your own stickers that you can share with friends and family.
On the practical side, the update introduces a low data call mode and an option that allows you to set a destination for files that need to be downloaded automatically. You’ll also find a new feature that lets you send group chat invitations that are shareable to your friends. Lastly, Signal has improved its group calling features so that you can now include seven other people in a call, rather than just five.
Again, all of these are features that you can find in other chat apps, not just in WhatsApp. But if you are one of the people who dropped WhatsApp for Signal, they should help you feel more at home.