WhatsApp is rolling out Status reactions and more to everyone

(Image credit: WhatsApp)

WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that allows people to add a reaction to someone's Stats update, a feature that has been working its way through the beta channels for a while now.

The update, which is available for download for free from the App Store, includes a number of new additions but Status reactions is likely the most notable for most people.

Getting a reaction

The new change was first noted by WABetaInfo but the App Store release notes do also point to the improvement plus much more. People can react with one of eight different emojis including "Smiling Face with Heart-Eyes, Face with Tears of Joy, Face with Open Mouth, Crying Face, Folded Hands, Clapping Hands, Party Popper, and Hundred Points."

Additionally, WhatsApp is now making it possible for group admins to delete others' messages for everyone, with all participants able to see who made the message go away. People can also share a link to a WhatsApp call for the first time, just as they do when using FaceTime and other calling services. That feature alone could make it easier for people to join WhatsApp calls even after they first opened.

WhatsApp's release notes do also point out that these features will be rolling out over the coming weeks, even though the app is ready to support them right now. That means that you might not have all of these features enabled even after using the app, but keep checking back — they'll appear eventually.

You can download the updated WhatsApp app from the App Store for free right now. Everyone who already has the app installed can also get the newest version via the app update mechanism within the App Store app.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.