The WhatsApp application has begun testing a new feature on iPhones that allows users to know if a contact is connected to the application in real time, via a small green dot that appears on the account’s profile page, while maintaining the users’ privacy settings.
The feature is available in the latest beta version of the application on the TestFlight platform for testing applications via the App Store, after the company began testing it on Android phones last month, to now reach a limited number of iOS users.
The green dot appears next to the contact’s profile picture when using the application, and disappears once they leave or stop being active, giving users a quick indication of the other party’s availability before sending messages.
The new design replaces the phrase “Online” that used to appear below the personal photo on the chat information page, with the aim of simplifying the user interface while maintaining the same functionality.
The company confirmed that the green indicator does not appear unless the contact allows the connection status to be shared via privacy settings.
As for users who hide the “Last Seen” or “Online Now” status, no green dot will appear next to their names, in accordance with the application’s current privacy policy.
At the current stage, the indicator appears only on the account page that the user accesses by clicking on the contact name at the top of the chat window, and it does not appear within the conversation list or the chat screen itself.
This step indicates WhatsApp’s readiness to launch a new section dedicated to contacts in iOS and Android, which includes a list of people who are connected or who were recently active, with the green indicator forming an essential part of this new experience.
The company does not rule out expanding the scope of the indicator’s appearance in the future to include the list of conversations or the chat interface and other sections within the application, after users get used to it.
The feature is currently available to a number of users of the beta version via TestFlight, and may also appear to a limited number of users of the stable version for testing purposes. It is scheduled to be rolled out gradually over the coming weeks without announcing a specific date for its launch to all users.
