WhatsApp is rolling out multiple new features for its iOS device community, including AI and AR, real-time document scanning, and more.
WhatsApp is introducing new features for its iOS community right in the middle of the festive peak. The latest update on WhatsApp for iOS unlocks multiple new features that utilize Apple’s in-house Augmented Reality technology. Users can now apply AR effects and backgrounds to their images and videos through the app's camera.
The AR feature can be accessed by clicking the wand icon placed right next to the gallery icon on the app camera viewfinder. During the rollout, some initial effects like confetti, star windows, tears, underwater, sparkles, and Karaoke can be applied to test how the feature works. While other players like Snapchat and TikTok dominated this space, WhatsApp will be the first social messaging app to have a seamless AR-powered image and video capture system.
Another exciting feature that comes with the iOS app version 24.25.93 is document scanning. Accessibly directly through the app, the ‘Scan Document’ feature is integrated with the document-sharing tab in the chat window. Users can send scanned documents from the camera or edit them in the app with filters such as color, grayscale, and black & white.
The captured image automatically gets cropped and resizes borders, reducing the manual editing labor work. Users can also automate the document capture action by toggling the auto-shutter option. This enables the camera to automatically identify and capture a document whenever the camera viewfinder is positioned correctly in front of it.
Some developers have already confirmed the availability of both these features in the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS updates. However, the AR capabilities do not complement the AI capabilities, as Meta AI is not allowed to read images, videos, or any other document.
Meta has been one of the most active tech giants during this festive season and has offered a range of impressive temporary features, themes, sticker packs, and more to ensure maximum engagement during festive communications worldwide. While some festive season features will go away soon, the AR and document scanning features are here to stay as part of its permanent product offering.
